The New Hellmouth: The Benefactor
by iKnightWriter
Summary: (Season 4) Scott, Stiles, Landon and Kira return to a new semester of school with more human worries than supernatural, while also trying to help their new friend, Micah, integrate back into society. But Kate Argent's surprising resurrection brings a new threat to Beacon Hills along with the emergence of another mysterious enemy known simply as The Benefactor.
1. Dark Moon(1)

**It's here guys! It's finally here! After months of writing and rewriting the new season 4 of Hellmouth starts today! Yay! Now there are a couple of things that you NEED to know. If you followed the series you know that I didn't do some of things that the show actually did, therefore things will be different. Especially with two of the characters, that were gone in canon, still being in the series. So they maybe slightly OC. I tried my hardest with them and that's all I can really say. Let's get this season started, yeah?**

* * *

><p>In Mexico, there was a village that sat on top of a mesa right in the middle of the desert. Right now, both Stiles Stilinski and Landon Martin found themselves in the heart of the town walking around casually. If your definition of casually was sticking close together like siamese twins, then yeah they were. The town was busy as the residences were all minding their own business as they seek relief from the desert sun.<p>

"This doesn't _seem_ so bad." Stiles commented to Landon as they walked through the town square. Landon had been on guard and agitated the moment they entered the town.

"It's not the town," Landon muttered looking behind them, "It's the _plan_."

"What's wrong with the plan?"

This caused Landon to stop and stare at Stiles, "Stiles. This could be the stupidest plan we've ever come up with." Landon claimed her, "You're aware of that, right?"

Stiles knew that Landon had a point. What they came here to do was borderline a suicide mission. Especially for those that were involved in the making and the actions needed for the plan.

Stiles looked around at the town, "I'm aware it's not our best." She confessed to him and continued on walking.

"We are going to die." Landon told her as they neared their destination. He continued to look around them. It was like the townspeople had no idea about the kind of things that went on in their own backyard.

"Are you saying that as a Reaper," Stiles asked, "Or are you just being pessimistic?"

"I'm saying it as a person who doesn't wanna die." Landon corrected her.

"Okay." Stiles completely understood. Aside from all the other plans they have conjured up over the past year, this plan was probably the most stupid one. These weren't normal people they were about to deal with.

"Would you just mind restricting any talk of death to actual Reaper predictions?" Stiles asked, "Besides I put a force field around us. No way is anyone going to be able to hurt us."

"Are you sure that was good idea?" Landon questioned. This time Stiles stopped at the question, "With everything going-"

"We'll be fine." Stiles assured him cutting him off, not wanting to talk about what had been happening over the past two months.

"But your condition-"

"The sooner we get this done the better." Stiles cuts him easily before the conversation could go any farther.

Landon didn't hide the worried expression that he felt falling on his face, "This plan is still stupid." He shared with her and led them back to walking.

"We've had worse."

* * *

><p>They approached a doorway, but their entry was blocked by two men. Both of them had their arms crossed giving them a clear message that they weren't going to get in so easily. Out of a familiar leather jacket, Stiles removed a large card with a stylized skull on the front. She showed it to the men and looked directly at the security camera in the corner. Via radio, the two teens were allowed to enter.<p>

As they walked down a darkened hallway, "That was nerve wrecking already." Landon whispered to Stiles as they made their way to two large wooden doors down the hall.

"And we haven't gotten to the hard part yet." Stiles agreed with him.

When they reached the double doors, Stiles was just about to push them open when Landon took a hold of her wrist. Stiles knew what was about to come next, "Stiles just try not to overdo it." Landon advised her.

**FLASHBACK**

In the vet's office everyone is outside the examination door, while there's thrashing going around in the examination room. Thankfully, the actual office is closed.

"Are you sure _that_ was such a good idea?" Isaac Lahey asks as he stood up to put his weight against the door.

The sound of Stiles screaming and glass shattering fills the air from inside the room. He peers into the window of the door and sees that the metal examination table, which is usually placed in the middle of the room, was now being levitated in the air.

"Probably not, but in order for the plan to work she needs to learn control first." Deaton tells them.

"How long do you think she can keep this up?" Landon asks. The last time he had seen Stiles like this was when she attacked and killed Kali and nearly attacked Aiden.

"I'm not sure," Deaton tells them, "Without the link to him she could go on for hours."

"What if she has an anchor?" Scott McCall suggests to Deaton and Deaton looks quite impressed at Scott's suggestion.

"You mean like a werewolf?" Isaac asks him.

"Scott maybe onto something." Landon tells them, "When Stiles was about to attack Aiden I managed to bring her back somehow."

"Think you can do it again?" Scott asks him.

"Not with her not knowing if he's actually okay." Deaton tells them, "However, the closest thing to him could work." Deaton suggests while everyone turns to eye at Isaac.

"Oh not again." Isaac states, "He isn't even an Alpha anymore."

"He's got a point," Deaton realizes, "It may not work since the change of status."

"We have to at least try." Landon tells them as the sound a blue suddenly fills the examination room, "Isaac, you're the only one here that had a connection to him just as strong as Stiles."

Isaac looks thoughtful for a moment, "Well as long as it's not to a sacrificial tree." Isaac comments just before he quickly makes his way into the room.

Everyone stays out in the lobby as another scream and the sound of a roar fills the air just before a blue light and a loud crash fills the air. Then it is dead silent. Scott and the others are just about to go into the room, when the door suddenly opens and Isaac and Stiles both come out breathing heavily.

**END FLASHBACK**

Stiles gave him a nod and pressed ahead, opening the doors on a packed dance club. The music was loud, the lights were flashing and dozens of people were dancing. From a bird's eye view Stiles and Landon were spotted by Severo, who alerted someone by walkie-talkie.

Landon grabbed Stiles by the hand and lead them to the bar, where they were served two shots. Both Stiles and Landon pushed away their glasses.

"No." Severo greeted them as he appeared from behind them, "On the house. Most American teenagers don't cross the border to refuse a drink."

Landon gave him a deadpanned look, "We didn't come to drink." and without a word he dropped a brass bullet casing stamped with the stylized skull image into the shot glass.

* * *

><p>Not a moment later, Stiles and Landon found themselves in a room with a female hunter named Araya and two other hunters that were armed. The music from the dance floor could still be heard.<p>

"Severo hates this music." Araya shared with them while using a small, curved blade as a seam ripper, intently working a piece of cloth as Stiles and Landon sat quietly on the other side of the table from her. "Me? I've always loved the music of youth. This kind, especially. It has a _savage_ energy."

"We're here for Derek Hale." Landon voiced in a business-like tone.

"Is that so?" Araya inquired with a hint of amusement.

"We know you have him." Landon remarked not breaking his tone, "We've heard you can be bought."

At his side, Stiles wordlessly produced a stuffed envelope and placed five stacks of cash out on the table. Araya remained unfazed.

"It's 50,000 for Derek." Landon negotiated to her.

Araya gave him a pointed look before turning her attention to Stiles, "Now, where does a teenage girl get money like this?" She inquired with a small smile not missing a beat, "Japanese mafia?"

Behind her, Severo and the two other hunters cocked their weapons. "Not smart to come alone." Araya advised them, leaning over the table.

Stiles twisted the ring that laid on her left ring finger and leaned forward herself, "What makes you think we came alone?" Stiles challenged her.

At Stiles' statement Araya looked at the girl with a grasp of understanding.

_In the club on the dance floor Micah Tate was dancing. He was seemingly enjoying himself with a smirk right on his face, but if anyone was paying close attention they would see his eyes glowing blue and Kira Yukimura was sitting along the side of the dance floor tapping her foot to the beat of the music as her eyes glowed orange._

Araya stood up from her seat in an outrage, "You brought a _wolf_ into my home?" She declared at them.

"Actually," Stiles countered coolly, "We brought an _Alpha."_

_In a darkened corner of the dance floor stood Scott McCall red-eyed and ready._

* * *

><p>Hunters with walkie-talkies started searching the dance floor. Kira noticed the sudden activity going on and approached the dancing Micah on the floor, "Something's happening." She told him.<p>

"I know." Micah said as he continued dancing.

"What do we do?" Kira asked worriedly.

"Blend in!" He told her, but Kira doesn't exactly start moving, "Dance with me." He gestured to her. Kira started dancing awkwardly, losing feeling of the beat from before and Micah simply rolled his eyes at her and grabbed the small of her back and pulled her closer.

"Oh." Kira commented completely caught off guard. The pair grind on the dance floor all smiles and having a good time. It was noticed by the patrons of the club and soon resulted in them drawing a small crowd around them.

* * *

><p>Araya was sitting back in her seat completely composed and gave both Stiles and Landon disappointed look, "My friends..." She said to them with a heavy sigh, "I don't think you're aware of your poor timing. Do you know what the dark moon is?"<p>

"The part of the lunar phase when the moon is _least_ visible in the sky." Landon answered.

"But do you know its _meaning_?"

"Some people say it's a time of reflection." Landon continued to answer, "Or grief." He said softly.

"Grief _and_ loss, mijo." Araya corrected him, watching him specifically. Stiles and Landon knew exactly what Araya was talking about. Araya noticed the sober expression on their faces and used it to her advantage, "I wonder why, when you and your friends have _suffered_ so much loss," She looked between the teens, but mainly at Landon. Landon just gave her a blank look, "You would risk it _again_ for someone like Derek Hale."

"'Cause we don't like to lose." Stiles finally spoke in a serious tone.

* * *

><p>Back out on the dance floor hunters were still canvassing the area. One of the hunters called on the radio, "Front door clear." The East Guard shared with them.<p>

"South clear." Another guard radioed in. All the hunters were at the checking points in the club, but there was someone who didn't answer on the radio.

"North?" Severo asked. When he didn't get a response Severo then spoke in Spanish.

_At the north entrance Scott picked up the unconscious hunter's walkie-talkie._

Back in the room, Scott's voice rang through the radio, "Stiles. Take 10 off the table." Stiles wordlessly removed one of the piles of money off the table.

"Maybe you should just take the deal." Landon suggested to her.

Instead, Araya laughed at the suggestion, "While I'm _keen_ to follow the warning of a Reaper," She told him, "I'm going to have to _decline_."

* * *

><p>Two armed hunters had spotted Micah and Kira, "Ready?" Micah asked her. Kira gave him a confirmation nod and the two were suddenly dancing back to back to each other. Just as a hunter was in close range to her, Kira kicked the hunter in the knee. The hunter fell to the floor while Kira also removed glow stick Nunchaku and whipped the nunchaku around her shoulders, while making impact to the Hunter's face knocking him unconscious.<p>

Micah too was able to hold off the hunter he faced, with an easy punch to face as he took a hold of them and slammed their body into the floor.

Scott also managed to render a hunter unconscious as well. The trio then regroup and started their search for Stiles and Landon.

* * *

><p>Stiles was close to losing her nerve. So she started to do what she did best, "Come on. Just give us Derek." She demanded to Araya. "You don't want him anyway. Haven't you noticed what a <em>downer<em> he is?" She asked trying to joke her way through, "No _sense_ of humor, _poor_ conversationalist." To her side, Stiles could see Landon agreeing to everything she was saying, "Just come on, _take_ the money."

Araya wasn't amused by Stiles' pitch, "Never heard a mate talk about her wolf like that."

It didn't come as surprise. They learned over the year that any news pertaining to the supernatural tend to travel faster than the speed of light.

Stiles clicked her teeth and leaned forward to the table, "If you know what I am." Stiles said lowly, "Then you know what I can do."

Araya gave her a smirk, "I know what you can do mija." Araya told her, "The question is why you haven't done it, yet?" Stiles remained silent as Araya spoke through the radio, "Severo? Show them how the Calaveras negotiate."

* * *

><p>Severo, in the DJ booth above the dance floor, nodded to DJ who took out a bullhorn that sprayed smoke when triggered. Smoke also began to spread from several points around the club.<p>

In the hallway, Scott noticed the smoke as it rose from under a door and then as it poured out of all the vents near the ceiling.

"Wolfsbane." Scott realized, "It's Wolfsbane! Kira! Micah! Get out of here!"

Both Kira and Micah both cough and struggle against the smoke as they attempted to make their escape. From a hidden corner, a hunter was waiting and attempted to coldcock both of them with the butt of a shotgun. Just as he was close to actually make impact a force field appeared just as the butt of the gun was close to hitting Kira. But it didn't seem to matter as both Kira and Micah continued to feel the effects of the smoke and soon passed out.

With the were-coyote and kitsune down Araya appeared from the doorway, "For someone who has been an Alpha only a few months you should be more careful when facing a hunter of 40 years." She gloated at Scott.

Scott was weaken by the Wolfsbane as well and was now on the floor, taking panting breaths, "All we want is Derek." He told her.

"My lobito, you're a _long_ way from home."

It was the way Araya had spoken when Scott comprehended what she was actually saying, "You don't know where he is either." Scott accused her just before he passed out.

* * *

><p><strong>FLASHBACK<strong>

Stiles, Scott, Landon, and Isaac are at the Beacon Hills Animal Clinic standing around the examination table, "Ok, so how long has it been?" Isaac asks them.

"Weeks." Stiles tells them, "He told me he had an emergency and that he needed to leave immediately. Of course, I didn't question it. But that changed when I felt the link get broken."

"Has Derek ever returned your texts?" Landon then asks Scott.

"Once." Scott shares with them, "Definitely once, but this time it _felt_ different." Stiles gives him an inquiring look, but Scott continues, "So I went to the loft. The alarm was on. Everything looked okay. But then I found these." He pulls out a container lots of brass bullet casings with the skull symbol, "I sent a picture of it to Deaton. He said that it's the mark of a family of hunters based out of Mexico. The Calaveras."

"What would they want with Derek?" Isaac asks.

"You don't think they killed him, do you?" Stiles asks him.

"I..." Scott stammers and looks over at Stiles, "I don't know." He confesses and glances at Landon, "That's why you're here."

He passes the container of shell casings to him. Landon reaches in a grabs a handful, working them back and forth in his fingers. After a moment, he drops them to the floor and each one strikes with the sound of a gunshot and Derek's scream. The sounds are loud enough it causes the Reaper to wince in pain.

"Landon, what?" Stiles asks worriedly to him, "Is he dead?" Stiles panics.

"No." He reports to her, "But I'm not sure he's alive either."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know." He picks up a bullet, but there is a feeling that he is getting. Something is odd about it, "There's something not right. I just... I don't know."

"So if the Calaveras have him," Isaac states, "How do we find them?"

"Mexico." Scott answers.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>Scott came to and found himself in a filthy public restroom with his head in Stiles' lap. He noticed she was wearing a worried expression on her face, "Scott, you okay?" She asked.<p>

"Yeah. They don't have him." He told her, "They don't have Derek."

Kira and Micah then appeared at their side, "We know." Kira told him, "But right now, they've got Landon."

"Landon?" Scott asked confused, moving away from Stiles' hand, "What do they want with Landon?"

* * *

><p>Araya was pouring tea at a table on the sidewalk in front of a cafe called "Consuelas." And it is next day, "I have to admit I've never come across a Reaper before. But Banshees I have, but I still don't have much experience with them." She told him, "All I really know is that you are the same."<p>

"That makes two of us," Landon shared warily, not making eye contact with the woman, "Since I don't have much experience _being_ one."

"I have a feeling you underestimate your abilities, Landon."

Landon gave her a sideway glance, "Trust me, you'd have better luck with tarot cards."

"Let's find out." Araya challenged him as she placed a gun on the table. She gestured at the three men who stood guard in front of them, "Tell me, which one of these men is about to die?"

* * *

><p>In the bathroom, Scott attempted to open the doors, but it's revealed to be useless.<p>

"We already looked for a way out." Kira told him looking around the room, there were blood stains, dirt, hands, and claws marks all against the walls and floor of the bathroom, "I think a lot of people have."

"I say when that door opens again," Micah offered, "We take out whoever's standing in the way and run for it."

"What about Landon?" Kira asked noticing that he left out a certain person in his plan. Micah seemed confused by the question.

"What about him?"

"We're not leaving _without_ him." Stiles informed him.

"Why not?" Micah questioned now confused as to why no one was agreeing with his plan. As far as he was concerned his plan didn't actually suck as much as theirs.

"Because we don't leave without people. Remember, we talked about this?" She reminded him, "Rules of the wild kingdom don't apply to friends."

"Is that what you would do as a coyote," Kira asked, "Leave him for dead?"

"If he was weak and injured, yeah." Micah declared boldly, "If hunting had been bad that season, I would _eat_ him. Then I'd leave."

"All right, guys, we're not dead yet." Scott interuppted, changing the subject, "And that means Araya wants something."

"But if the Calaveras don't know where Derek is, that means they didn't take him from the loft. Right?" Kira questioned.

"That would mean someone _else_ got to him." Stiles stated, "That means it wasn't just a nightmare he was telling me about," She realized, "It was a memory." She stated as it clicked, "I should've known." Stiles started to pace around the room and the lights in the room began to flicker.

"Stiles are you okay?" Scott questioned her as he stopped her in place.

"I'm fine…I fine." Stiles responded. Scott noticed a dark glow in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

* * *

><p>At their table, Araya was peeling an orange with a wicked serrated blade, "How does it work? Do you need to touch them?" Landon watched her nervously as she peeled, "Maybe I give you something they own. Or is it just a... a feeling?"<p>

"I told you…I don't know."

Landon watched as Araya started to fiddle with the knife, "Just how _close_ to death do they have to be?"

She double-tapped the knife and Landon started to get that familiar sensation as he looked at the two men. Araya suddenly whipped the knife out at one of the men, striking him in the chest. Landon lets out a little yelp as he got up from his seat, while the hunter closer to him dropped to the ground with a grunt. The other remained unfazed.

"Why did you do that for?" Landon asked with his voice shaking.

"He stole from me."

At the statement, Landon's ears started to get filled with whispers and he looked curiously at the woman, "What do you want?"

"Right now?" Araya hinted, as she pulled a piece of the orange apart, "I want to know about Scott McCall. I want to know what kind of Alpha he really is."

* * *

><p>Landon soon found himself being escorted to a room where Scott was bound to a chair with manacles, chains, and electric wiring.<p>

"Oh, God." Landon breathed at the sight just as he was placed in a similar chair and was being chained in the same manner. They were in a large room that had three deer head mounted over a fireplace and the only source of light that they were getting was coming from the three windows that was faced behind them.

"Let him go." Scott demanded to the hunter that ignored him, "Look... you've got me. Just let the others go." He begged.

Severo then appeared with Kira at his side and forced her to stand by an electric box, "Your hand goes here." He instructed her as he forced her hand on the knob, "Let me explain what's about to happen. This one, the fox, has an _immunity_ to electricity. So she's going to turn the dial on the Alpha. If she doesn't, I turn the dial on the Reaper."

"I'm not doing this." Kira told him removing her hand from the knob.

Severo gave a crooked smile, "I see." He told her, "Are you sure? One of your friends has the power to heal." Kira looked over at Landon who was now fully chained to the chair, "The other? Not so much."

Kira felt like she stuck in the same position she had been when they were facing the Nogitsune. She felt like she was going to throw up.

"What are you doing?" Scott questioned, "Is this a _game_ to you?"

"This is a _test_, lobito." Araya corrected him, "Let's see if you pass." She placed Kira's hand on the knob again, "We're going to ask some questions. You answer them, nobody gets hurt. You don't answer, we turn on the dial."

"Do what they say. Okay." Scott told Kira. Kira looked at him with shock as she started to feel the sense of panic overcome her, "Whatever they want. I can take it." He assured her.

"So... We don't know where Derek is." Araya confessed to them, "We want to find him as well. His mate doesn't know where he is without the link, so she is useless." Araya shared with them, "That only just leaves you." She turned to Scott, "You know who took him." She expressed to him firmly.

"What?" Scott asked completely and utterly lost, "How would I know that?"

"That doesn't sound like an answer to me."

"We don't know." Landon repeated backing Scott up, "Why else do you think we came here?"

Araya ignored Landon's claim, "Kira, turn the dial." But Kira didn't move a muscle. Araya smirked at the lack of action, "Should we turn the dial on Landon instead?"

"Do it, Kira." Scott told her, "Do it."

Kira reluctantly gave him a head nod, "I'm sorry."

"Let's start at one." Araya said.

* * *

><p>Back in their restroom prison, Stiles had started pacing again, "Do you hear them? Can you hear Scott?" She probed Micah, "Can you hear Kira, Landon, anybody? What are they saying?"<p>

Micah had been sitting on the floor leaning on a column with his eyes closed trying to listen in, "I... I can't. I can't concentrate." He told her as he opened his eyes, "I... There's too many sounds and voices."

"It's okay." She told him, but Micah could clearly hear the skip in her heart. Stiles then stooped down to his level, "Just breathe." She coached him, "You practiced this with Scott before, remember?"

"I'm trying." Micah told her, "You guys should've brought Isaac instead."

**FLASHBACK**

"Will you relax?" Stiles asks Issac, "I finally got it under control." Stiles tells Isaac while he stands at her doorway. Stiles is packing for the trip to Mexico and now Isaac isn't too happy about the plan.

"And when you don't people are going to get hurt," Isaac counters, "You guys will need me," Isaac repeats for the third time, "Especially you."

"I'll be fine." Stiles says to him.

"You said that last time and Deaton almost got stabbed with surgery equipment."

"Uh, almost" Stiles points out, but Isaac gives her his no sass face, "I'll be fine." She repeats to him just as Isaac stands in front of her.

"You don't know that." He tells her, "You can't control your power with you stressing and worrying about Derek. Deaton said we're even lucky that I can even bring you back."

"Look," Stiles tells him tiredly, "I promise I will not use more than necessary."

"I can smell and hear the lie all over you."

**END FLASHBACK**

"It's okay, it's okay." Stiles assured him, "Just focus on something." Stiles coached him, "Here, look at my eyes." Stiles told Micah as she started remembered some of the techniques from when she first helped Scott. Micah does look at her with some kind of hope in his eyes, "Very good. Just focus on the _sound_ of my voice. All you have to do is try to concentrate." She whispered to him, "Concentrate..."

Micah closed his eyes as Stiles continued talking to him. He started to focus on the sound of her voice and when he opened his eyes as they were glowing blue.

* * *

><p>Araya had gone from patient to impatient to furious in a manner of minutes, "Tell me! Who actually has Derek?" Araya demanded to the Alpha, "Who had a reason, a vendetta particular to the Hales?"<p>

Scott had already suffered through two rounds of electricity being shot through his body, "I said I don't know." Scott told her.

Landon could still hear the whispers in his ears as he watched in fear as Kira was forced to up the voltage, once again.

"Oh, you don't know because you haven't _figured_ it out yet." Araya snapped at him, "So think! Who could've taken him?"

Araya signaled over to Severo, "Tres." He told Kira, but Kira could see that Scott wasn't handling the shock of the current anymore and didn't make a move.

"It's okay." Scott assured her once again. Kira turned the dial once more.

"Who had the power?" Araya question him, "The power of a shapeshifter?"

"I don't know." Scott told her.

"Oh! Someone who could have turned without you knowing." She started to yell at him, "Turned, but not by a bite!"

"I don't know!"

Araya pushed Kira aside and cranked up the juice to the maximum. Through his shock Scott's mind goes back in time.

**FLASHBACK**

It is the night of the lacrosse game that determines if the team makes it to state. Scott's enhanced hearing is in tune with a conversation between Kate and Chris Argent.

"Can you get turned by a scratch?" Kate asks Chris as they try to figure who is helping the Alpha.

"If the claws go _deep_ enough." Chris tells her.

"Peter _slashed_ Kate's throat right in front of us." Stiles tells him as they head back to the hospital after a failed attempt of finding Scott a cure for his lycanthropy.

**END FLASHBACK**

When the answer came to him, Scott broke the manacles and was now free with his eye glowing the Alpha red. Araya gave him an approving smile.

"_Say_ the name, Scott." She ordered.

* * *

><p>Back in their prison room, Micah had related the message to Stiles. Stiles got up off the floor as the lights flickered once again, "That's impossible." She spoke to herself, "It's impossible. That <em>can't<em> be what he said."

"Why?" Micah questioned confused by the name, "Who... who is she?"

"She is supposed to be _dead,_" She told him as she collected herself, "I can't…I can't believe...she took him."

_In a dark, cobwebby stone hallway Kate Argent was standing in front of a disc shaped sculpture inlaid in the stone wall. Behind the sculpture, Derek Hale seemed to be unconscious, tied and covered in cobwebs._

**There you have it the beginning of season 4. Now the updating schedule is going to be different. I unfortunately can't update both parts together due to school and work. Therefore, part 2 will be updated next Wednesday. So updates are on Wednesday with the parts separated. But don't worry I am really good with keeping my update schedule. See you next week! Until then you know what to do!**


	2. Dark Moon(2)

**So I was doing the math of when this fic should be finished and if all goes well then hopefully it should be done by sometime in June. Which is a hell of a long time. Especially if season 5 is supposed to start around that time too. Who knows? Blessing or a curse. You decide after reading part 2 of Dark Moon.**

That same day, "So..." Scott said, as he was now walking out the door with Araya, "You're just letting us go?" He questioned noticing the others were waiting on guard by Stiles' jeep.

"I sent four men out to where Kate was rumored to have been seen." Araya shared with him, "_None_ of them came back." She gave him a look over, "Let's see if you can do better." She challenged him.

"You could've just told me she was alive." Scott made a point to say.

"You wouldn't have believed me." She stated knowingly, "Now I know what kind of Alpha you are." This earned her a confused look, "And where your next step lies."

"What next step?"

Araya took a step closer to Scott, "When you take the bite of an innocent," She told him, "When you _make_ a wolf of your own, when you do that," She dropped her voice into a whisper, "Then, I will cross your border and come knocking at _your_ door."

Scott watched with uneasiness as Araya went back inside the club. Scott made his way over to the others that were still watching the remaining hunters.

"So what now?" Stiles asked him when he walked up to them and the hunters removed their focus on them.

"She thinks she knows where we can find Derek." Scott shared with them.

"She gonna tell us where?"

"Uh, actually, she's giving us a guide."

A roar of a motorcycle filled the air as a woman appeared from a corner wearing a helmet and parked right next to Stiles' Jeep. Stiles recognized her immediately, "You know her?" Scott asked when he saw the look of recognition on his friend's face.

Stiles walked over to the motorcycle, "Braeden." She claimed with a small smile on face.

"Who's Braeden?" Micah asked.

"She was the one who saved Isaac," Stiles told him, "She also saved Derek and Peter before."

Braeden had removed her helmet, "I was _hired_ to save them." She corrected Stiles.

"She's a mercenary." Landon explained to Micah, who was clueless.

"Right now, I'm the only one who's gonna take you to la iglesia."

"The Church?" Landon asked with some wonder.

"What's The Church?" Stiles asked.

"It's not a place you'll find God." Braeden replied easily, before slipping back on her helmet.

* * *

><p>Stiles was following Braeden in the jeep. The air was quiet and tense until a certain were-creature broke the silence, "Okay, I'll ask. Who's Kate Argent?" Micah asked, leaning up to the front where Scott and Stiles occupied.<p>

"Uh, I'd like to know, too." Kira voiced uneasily. She had noticed how Landon, Scott and Stiles had been acting ever since they left the club.

"Well, we were at her funeral." Stiles shared with them, "So, I'd like to know how she got _out_ of a casket that was _buried_ six feet underground."

"She was never in it." Scott voiced.

"She was Allison's aunt." Landon told them and looked out the window, "And a total sociopath."

Kira noticed that Stiles clenching onto the stirring wheel tightly, "You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to." She placed a reassuring hand on Stiles' shoulder.

"Um, yes, she does." Micah countered back easily.

"Yeah, he's right." Scott said surprising everyone, "You guys should know. You _need_ to know." He told them.

There was a moment when Scott and Stiles stared at each other silently, obviously having a silent argument before Stiles spoke up, "Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family."

_Stiles could hear the screams of the Hale family from the memory of the fire Derek had gotten from Peter._

"Some of them survived, like Cora, and Peter." Scott shared with them.

"Yeah," Landon inputted with some heavy disdain, "A _very_ angry Peter."

_Landon could still remember the night at the formal when Peter had attacked and bitten him._

"Yeah," Scott agreed, "He's the one who bit and turned me."

_Scott remembered being lost in the woods when he gets attacked by a deer and an unknown creature._

"And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her." Landon finished.

_Stiles could still see Peter slashing Kate's throat as he forced her to apologize for what she has done to the Hale family._

"And we saw her get buried." Stiles pointed out to him.

"No." Scott told them, "We saw _a_ casket and she wasn't in it." Then it was all coming together, "The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an Alpha's claws. More and more, as she got closer to a full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the bodies."

_The Calaveras came to check Kate's body and found her healing. They removed it back to Mexico, to the same restroom prison where Scott and the others were held before._

"If a hunter is bit, they have to take their own life before they change. The Calaveras, they treat the code like law."

_They tried to force her to kill herself, with a razor switchblade, as is the hunter's code._

"They make it their responsibility to _enforce_ it." Scott explained to them, "Only she didn't go through with it."

_Kate faked her death and killed six of her captors to escape._

"Good for her." Micah claimed approvingly, "I wouldn't do it either."

"Would you kill half a dozen people to get out?" Scott asked him, "Because that's exactly what she did."

"What I want to know is what made them think she was going to do it in the first place," Stiles broke into a tangent, "She broke the Code for what she did to Derek's family _and_ when she tried to kill you after Allison wouldn't do it."

Scott began to notice a series of red jagged line appearing on her neck as Stiles continued on with her rant, "Stiles-" He tried.

"I'm fine…" Stiles said to him, "I…just… If it weren't for them Derek wouldn't have been taken."

"I know you're worried about him and angry." Scott spoke to her, "But right now I need to you become un-angry." Scott told her, "You slip now, we would have a bigger problem than Kate coming back."

Stiles looked at the ring on her finger and back at Scott and silently turned her attention back to the road. The lines now were now faint, but hadn't fully disappeared.

"So Kate's a werewolf now?" Kira asked carefully.

"I don't know." Scott admitted to them, "You know, there's a saying, sometimes the shape you take _reflects_ the person you are."

_Landon, Scott, and Stiles all remember the Jackson/Kanima situation._

"What kind of shape is _sociopathic_ bitch?" Landon questioned in a crossed tone.

Landon's question goes unanswered as there was a sudden jerk against the jeep causing it to stop abruptly.

* * *

><p>"What happened?" Braeden questioned when she realized that Stiles and the others came to a sudden stop. Everyone was now outside the jeep, but thankful that the air was a bit cooler.<p>

"I don't know." Stiles told her, "It felt like we hit something."

"Scott, we need to get there by night." Braeden informed them, looking at the now setting sun, "It's too dangerous otherwise."

Scott looked over at Stiles, who could practically see the wheels turning in his head, "Go." She urged him.

"Not without you." He told her.

"I'll be okay." She assured him, but easily sees the hesitation in his eyes, "Dude, someone needs to find Derek." She expressed to him, "We'll figure something out. We always do." She assured him before giving him a hug.

In the embrace, Scott could feel a warm sensation envelope his body as Stiles gripped to him tightly, "Did you just-"

"Just a little something extra." Stiles could see that Scott was ready to protest, but Stiles ignored him and stood by Braeden and placed a hand on her shoulder. The mercenary too felt the warm sensation overcome her body and also noticed the glow in Stiles' eyes.

"So you're Stiles." She said to her. Stiles gave her a nod and Braeden gave a small smile before she set herself on her bike.

"You know a simple "Be careful" would've suffice." Scott chastised to his friend, while Stiles hid the red markings that were occurring once again.

Stiles pushed Scott toward the bike, "Just go." She commanded.

Stiles watched as Scott and Braeden rode off farther into the desert until they were out of sight. When Stiles turned back to her jeep, she was confronted with Landon glowering at her.

"What?"

Landon gave her a simple headshake, "Don't do that again unless you have to."

Stiles doesn't get a chance to defend herself when Micah interrupted them, "Stiles." He grunted as he pulled something out from the side of the jeep, "I don't think _we_ hit something." He held up a large bony claw, "I think something hit _us_."

* * *

><p>Braeden and Scott arrive at their destination, "La iglesia." Braeden commented and they dismounted from the bike.<p>

There was a collection of ruined buildings with a damaged Spanish style church at the center, but unlike the rest of the town the Church seemed to have been untouched by mountains of sand.

"What happened here?" Scott asked as they walked their way through the sand buried town.

"An earthquake. It leveled the town."

"Then why is The Church still standing?"

"The locals think it's because of what's underneath." She told him with a sideway glance.

"Do I wanna know?"

"The Church was built over the ruins of an Aztec temple." She explained to him, "It belonged to a people called the nagual."

"Shapeshifters?"

"Were-jaguars."

"So Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?"

"I don't know." She admitted staring at the church, "Never gotten this far before."

After grabbing her weapons and a flashlight, Braeden and Scott both head towards their destination.

* * *

><p>Down under the night sky, Kira and Micah were standing on patrol, while Landon was holding a flashlight as Stiles attempted to fix her jeep.<p>

"Maybe we should just walk." Landon suggested to her as he watched her fiddle with the engine and possibly messing with somethings that were probably important.

"Hey, I will _never_ abandon this jeep." Stiles declared towards him, "You understand me? Ever. Ever. Ever."

Landon gave her a simple eye roll and watched over Kira and Micah.

While Kira was watching her side she hadn't noticed anything, Micah watched the other side that was covered with darkness when something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Whatever it was gone by the time he was able to fully focus in that one point. However, he was getting an uneasy feeling.

"Work faster, Stiles." Micah urged her, "There's something out here with us." Micah continued to look at the spot where he saw the figure. Something about it just seemed wrong.

* * *

><p>Scott and Braeden were now walking through the catacombs of the church, "If you find Kate in here, what are you gonna do with her?" Scott asked.<p>

"Bring her back to the Calaveras." Braeden stated simply, "That's what they paid me for."

"What happens after that?" In the catacombs it was filled with skeletons and all types of creepy-crawlers.

"Not my problem."

"You don't care?"

"Do you?" Braeden questioned stopping them, "She's a mass murderer."

"And you're a mercenary." He pointed out.

"Girl's gotta eat."

"If you were paid enough, would you kill her?"

"If the money was good, I'd kill you." She said pointedly and started back to walking through the dark church. Scott didn't find that answer as surprise and continued as well, "Can you catch Derek's scent?"

"Yeah. I already got it."

He started to lead them down another hall, but due to his enhanced-hearing he heard a distant roar coming from the very hall they were in. Scott even made a point to make a sudden stop.

"What?" Braeden whispered sensing Scott's uneasiness.

"There's something else in here."

"Something like what?" She asked as they peered down the dark passage way with the little light they had.

"Something not human."

* * *

><p>Stiles was still trying to work on her jeep, but was having a hard time, due to the lack of light she was getting since it kept moving around, "Landon, could you please hold the light still for a second?" She asked him, "It's really hard to see anything if you keep shaking it like that."<p>

"I'm shaking it like this because we're in the middle of nowhere with your broken down jeep and we're being attacked by yet _another_ razor-clawed monster." Landon quipped at her, "And I'm terrified."

"I could-"

"No."

"Then please just be slightly less terrified." Stiles begged him as she removed a car piece from the jeep, "And hold this."

"What's this?" Landon asked as she handed him a wheel-shaped engine piece.

"I don't know." Stiles admitted while still working, "I'm hoping it's not important."

Kira, now stood in front of the jeep armed with her sword. Micah was still surveying the area where he had seen the figure.

"Anything?" Kira asked him.

"It's too hard to see." Micah informed her, "We should've brought another flashlight."

Kira then has an idea. She used the sword to reflect light off the jeep at some nearby rocks and something had moved from there.

"Did you see that?" Kira asked Micah.

In response, Micah automatically lets his fangs retract and his eyes glow blue and he ran toward the rocks, "Micah, wait!" Kira shouted out to him, but Micah doesn't turn back.

Stiles quickly caught onto what was happening, "Micah!" Stiles shouted. She was just about to hold out her hand to send a force field to stop him from going any farther, when Landon placed her hand down.

"Kira, you go!" Landon ordered to her and Kira took off after Micah. He then pointed the flashlight at Stiles' face, "You. Fix the jeep." He told her, but Stiles was about ready to protest, "You've pushed it already." Landon reminded her taking note of the red markings on Stiles' neck, "Fix the jeep and we can get out of here."

* * *

><p>Kira was now running in the dark looking for Micah, but she could also sense that something else was indeed out there with them.<p>

"Micah?" She called out, but there was no response. All around her there were sounds filling her ear. But the sound of a twig snapping was a lot closer than she expected and before she could ready to defend herself someone ran into her. This caused Kira to let out a scream as the figure made impact and they both crash into the ground.

"It's me!" Micah claimed out of breath, "It's me." He repeated as he looked behind himself. Kira noticed a wound on his arm.

"What happened?" She asked him, "What's out there?"

"I don't know, but it is big and fast." Micah told her as he helped her from the ground, "And it cuts deep."

There's another sound, but it comes from the distance. Both Micah and Kira ran back into the direction of the jeep just in time to hear the jeep start back up.

* * *

><p>Scott and Braeden were now deeper into the church. "So, what did Stiles do to us?" Braeden asked the hall now had gotten bigger.<p>

"She put up a barrier around us. Like a force field," Scott shared with her, "It protects us. Though I wish she hadn't done it."

"Why is that? It seems like it would come in handy."

"Because if she goes overboard bad things will happen." Scott told her. Scott doesn't go farther into the detail when he senses something that wasn't exactly in front of them.

"What?" Braeden asked when Scott doubled back.

"Just had a feeling like something was behind us."

In the still air a breathing sound fills the air, "You hear that?" Braeden questioned as she started to search throughout the cave.

"Is this why you never get that far?" Scott asked. There were more skeletons than before, but that wasn't the reason why Scott was starting to get worried.

The breathing had disappeared and had been replaced with something else. The sound of footsteps running had taken over along a growl that seemed very close to them.

"Get ready!" Braeden warned him.

* * *

><p>Stiles, Landon, Kira, and Micah were finally back on the road, "You..." Stiles chastised at the were-coyote, "Don't do that <em>ever<em> again!"

"Do what?" Micah asked clearly confused at Stiles' outburst.

"You just took off." Stiles told him, "You just straight up bolted."

"There was something out there."

"And you got hurt in the process." Stiles made a point to say, "I know your coyote instincts kicked in, but next time-" Stiles said looking at the wound, "Just next time give someone a heads up." She breathed out to him. Micah could sense the emotions that were coming off Stiles.

"Okay." He said softly.

"That doesn't look good." Landon said looking at the wound that Micah had required.

"It's okay."

"Are you sure?" Kira asked as she inspected the wound, "It looks deep."

"I can feel it healing." He assured them. It still felt weird to him that there were people who were looking out for him.

"You didn't see anything?" Landon asked.

"Barely." Micah said as he looked out the window, "It had a strong scent, though."

"Like what?"

"Like death."

* * *

><p>Braeden and Scott caught a glimpse of the figure that had been making the sounds that Scott had been hearing. The only thing they knew was that it was a collection of bones that had no real form. The problem was it was superfast. "Where is it? Do you see it?" Braeden asked with her gun ready.<p>

"No, I don't know!" Scott shouted at her, "I can't see anything!"

"Where is this thing?"

It was still in there. Whatever, the hell it was. The sound of footsteps still circled around them and the growling seemed to get closer and closer. Even worse along with the growling and running the sound of whispers filled the air.

"Scott, get behind me." Braeden ordered him, "Scott, get behind me!"

Scott caught site of the figure again, but didn't follow Braeden's order. Instead he side-stepped in front of her and released a mighty Alpha roar that cause the cavern they were in to shake. In the distance now the growling had faded.

"I think I scared it." Scott told her.

"I think you scared _everything."_ She said to him as they slowly made there through another narrow hall.

As they neared the end-up of the hall, a roar-induced rock fell and revealed the carved circular sculpture, "What is that?" Scott asked.

"Tezcatlipoca." She told him as she shined her flashlight over the structure, "The nagual jaguar God. I think we found Derek."

"Stand back." Scott punched through the rock surface and peered into the hole he had created. There was someone inside who reached out to them, "Oh, my God." Scott breathed out.

* * *

><p>Stiles and the others arrived in the Jeep just as Scott and Braeden exited the church dragging the person they found inside. Both Landon and Stiles quickly ran to them only stop in their tracks when they see them helping out someone.<p>

"Is that him?" Micah asked Stiles catching up to them, "Is that Derek?" He asked not hiding the confusion in his voice.

The person who had exited out the church with Scott and Braeden looked up at Stiles confused, "Uh, sort of." Stiles answered as she was face to face with the spitting image of a much younger version of Derek Hale.

* * *

><p><strong>NEXT ON TNH: THE BENEFACTOR<strong>

"So if he's not your mate, then who is?"

"Why are you still asking?" Stiles deflected easily.

"Why are you answering a question with another question?"

"Let's just say it's a mutual friend."

"It's not my Uncle Peter is it?" It took everything in Stiles not to hurl at the thought, while Derek leaned over and took another sniff, "I mean you smell so _familiar."_

"Hey how about we stop sniffing Stiles." Stiles offered to him and pushed him away, "In fact no more sniffing or asking Stiles questions until we figure this out."

There was a moment of silence between them when Derek spoke again, "You're not really a lawyer, are you?" He questioned with a smirk.

"What did I just say?"


	3. 117(1)

**FLASHBACK**

Under a full moon, a basketball game is getting underway inside the Beacon Hills High School Gym. In the gym, the crowd is cheering on the team and the coach is calling out for Derek who has yet to make his appearance on the basketball court.

Young Peter Hale is also there in the task out looking for his nephew. He walks into the locker room to find said nephew, 15 year old Derek Hale in the midst of wolfing out under a running shower. He isn't at all surprise to see Derek struggling with his transformation.

"I thought..." Derek starts to say when he sees Peter standing by the shower, "I thought I could control it."

"All this risk?" Peter chastises him with some heat in his voice, "Just for a basketball game? On the night of a full moon?"

"It's the finals." Derek reasons as he still is trying to fight the urge to shift, "They need me."

In frustration, Peter takes a hold of Derek by his Beacon Hills Basketball #4 jersey, "To do what?" Peter questions him, "_Rip_ someone's throat out on the court?" Peter releases Derek from his grip and takes a deep breath, "Even _born_ wolves have to learn control on a full moon, Derek." Peter tells him gently with the heat now gone from his voice.

"Yeah, but it's supposed to be _easier_ for us," Derek shoots back at him, now angry at the obvious statement. He knew that bitten werewolves had a harder time to learn their control over a full moon, but for some reason he kept struggling with his transformation, "Why does it _hurt_ like this?"

Peter doesn't answer the question, he rather asks one himself, "Did you bring it?"

"It's not working..." Derek tells him, knowing exactly what Peter was talking about. It was something was supposed to help control their shifts.

"Did you bring it?" Peter repeats ignoring Derek claim. Derek removes a metal disk from his pocket. It bears the triple spiral triskelion symbol. "Go ahead." Peter says to him.

"I told you, it's not _working_." Derek says panting heavily with his eyes glowing.

"Do it!" Peter insists one again.

Derek holds the disk in both his hands and starts his chant, "Alpha, Beta, Omega..." He chants calmly while still fighting the transformation.

"Again." Peter said to him.

"Alpha, Beta, Omega..." Derek repeats over and over, but soon his voice starts echoing in his ears and he drops to the floor with heavy breathing. He loses the little control he has and his transformation continues. His screams of pain echo throughout the locker room. Peter looks on watching as Derek continues to transform and doesn't leave his side.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>At a rainy gas station, a car was parked on the side with its driver's side door opened. From the outside, the attendant could hear growling noises coming from the station's only public restroom around the side of the building.<p>

As he got closer the growling sound intensify and he proceeded to knock on the door to figure out with the hell was going on.

"Hey!"

Inside the restroom, Kate Argent was struggling with a transformation. She was gripping tightly onto the sink almost to a point where she was cracking it.

"You okay in there?" The gas station attendant asked from the other side of the door. Inside Kate released a loud scream, "Hey, you all right?" The attendant asked, "What's going on in there?

Kate could still feel the transformation happening and she fought another urge, "Just a second." She told him panting trying to still remain calm.

This doesn't seem to please the attendant as he continued to bang on the door, "Hey!"

"I'll be out in a minute!" She tried shouting back to him, only for her words to be devolved into guttural growls again.

"You need to open the door." The attendant demanded, "I don't know what the hell you're doing or whatever you're on, but I got a key. You come out or I'm coming in." He told her, but he doesn't get a response, "Hey! You want me to call the cops?" He threatened, "You hear me? Lady, open the door!" But the only he thing could hear through the door were strange sounds coming from inside, "Open it!"

It became apparent to him that the door wasn't going to be opened on demand. He used his key and opened the door to find Kate still breathing heavily, "You okay?"

As Kate turned the attendant, her face has gone all blue, her lips turned black, she grew fangs and her eyes had taken on a greenish hue. Kate was now fully transformed as she released a roar and attacked him in a frenzy.

* * *

><p>It was raining when Stiles, Scott and Landon met up with Deaton and Isaac at the Animal Clinic. They had brought in the newly regressed and unconscious Derek and had set him on the examination table, "Wow." Deaton said when he actually got a look at Derek's condition.<p>

"Wow? Wow as in, "I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do," kind of wow?" Stiles asked him, "'Cause that's the kind of wow we were hoping for."

"I think you might be _over_estimating my abilities." Deaton told her as he started to exam the young Derek.

Stiles made a sighing sound and took a hold of the Young Derek's hand, "He's cold." She told him, "_Really_ cold."

"Do you think this is permanent?" Isaac asked as he too looked over the unconscious boy.

"I'm not sure a _medical_ diagnosis is even adequate." Deaton said as he was still in awe about Derek's condition, "This is well _beyond_ my experience."

"So what do we do with him?" Scott asked.

"Until he wakes up. Probably not much." This time he looked over at Stiles, "It might be best to leave him with me. He'll be safe here."

"You mean from Kate?" Stiles questioned knowing what he was getting at. Kate had come after Derek once before, no doubt that she wasn't going to do it again.

"If she's alive and she is what you say she is, she won't be able to walk past that gate." Deaton assured her, but he could tell that wasn't a good enough answer for her.

"Why would she want do this to him?" Landon questioned.

"Knowing Kate, it's probably for a reason that won't be any good for anyone but her."

Stiles made a scoffing sound, "And bad for everyone else." She stated, "Just what we need _another_ Peter."

"You guys should probably go home." Deaton advised them, "He doesn't look to be in any danger. So maybe the rest of you should get some sleep?" The students looked at Deaton in question, "It is a school night... And you all need to start taking care of your own lives again."

"Someone should stay with you." Scott reasoned to the vet.

At the sound of Scott's statement, Stiles felt the sleeping Derek grip her hand tightly, "I'll stay." She told them, "My grades are fine...despite missing a few classes. When he wakes up he'll probably remember me. I need to be here."

"I'm so not okay with this." Isaac told her.

"Quit worrying." Stiles told him, "I'm not using my power. I'll be fine so you guys just go." She told them. But neither Isaac, Landon, nor Scott made a move, "Guys, go."

"No." Isaac remained firm. The two of them get into a staring match.

**FLASHBACK**

Stiles is napping until she wakes up screaming and kicking in her bed and Isaac is instantly at her side, "It's okay Stiles." Isaac tells her as he encloses her into his arms wiping away the sweat that has formed around her brow, "It's okay." He continues to whisper over and over until Stiles has fully recover from her nightmare.

Derek has been gone for weeks now and the link is no longer intact. Meaning instead of having Derek helping Stiles with the nightmares (the result of the Nogitsune possession), Stiles is forced to deal with the nightmares on her own, "Thanks Isaac." She says to him once she has manage to calm herself, "You don't have to do this." She tells him, "Stay here, I mean."

"Well, it better than watching Scott try to train that coyote." Isaac jokes with a smile.

"What do you have against Micah?"

"Aside from getting my leg caught in a bear trip when we were trying to rescue him, after he tried to eat Kira," Isaac says making a face, "Nothing."

Stiles squints an eye at him, "Your loyalty is very admiring."

"It's one of my many qualities," Isaac tells her with a cheesy grin, "Now go back to sleep. Your dad will be home soon."

"And bossy too." Stiles points out as she lays down.

"Shut up."

**END FLASHBACK**

Stiles raised an eyebrow at him and Isaac slumped his shoulders in response. Over the months they too had learned how to communicate without even speaking to each other.

"Text us if anything happens." Scott told her as he watched the two of them silently argue. Stiles gave him a victorious smile as she stuck her tongue out at the beta.

"Nope, still not okay with it." Isaac stated once again refusing to move, "Not going anywhere." Scott then started to pull Isaac by his arm and Isaac knew that this was a battle he wasn't going to win, "All right, just 'cause you're the Alpha..." Isaac trailed out. Landon followed them out as well giving them a small wave.

"What's the off chance of him knowing about the bond?" Stiles asked once she and Deaton were alone.

Deaton gave her a wary look, "Well…"

* * *

><p>Both Scott and Isaac returned to the McCall residence to find the furniture in the dining area had been removed. There was a sound of water dripping and hitting a metal bowl. There were also other signs of misconstruction (from the Oni).<p>

As they ventured through the dark, Scott noticed his father was sleeping on the couch. He signaled for Isaac to be quiet, but it was Scott who tripped over a tool box, that he clearly saw,causing Agent McCall to wake-up.

Of course, Isaac took the opportunity of Scott's clumsiness and bolted out the room leaving Scott by himself to face his dad all on his own, "Scott?" Agent McCall questioned still in his sleep haze.

"Hey, Dad." Scott said trying not to sound like he hadn't been up to no good, "What's with the tools?"

"Oh, I was just, uh..." Agent McCall released a tired sigh, "Getting started on a list of repairs you guys need done. What time is it?"

"It's um…" Scott looked at the clock on the end table that read 4:05 am, but Scott slyly faced the clock down, "Midnight." He lied easily.

"We were supposed to have dinner. We had a _deal_." Agent McCall told him, "When your mom has a night shift, we have dinner."

"Well, Isaac was here. You had dinner with him." Scott told him, but Agent McCall gave him a look that told him that wasn't a good enough reason, "I totally forgot about it. When we got back from the camping trip, I had to go straight to the animal clinic to finish up work."

"All right, well..." The tired Agent said, "Tomorrow night. Dinner. You and me."

"Great." Scott said with much enthusiasm.

"Did you get anything to eat?"

Scott exhaled a breath, "Yeah, Mexican." From upstairs he could hear Isaac snickering.

* * *

><p>At the Animal Clinic, Stiles was dozing. She awoken by a shuffling sound and sees that Deaton was checking on Derek once again, "How's he doing?" Stiles asked as she got up from the chair she had been occupying through the night.<p>

"His heart rate is _alarmingly_ high." Deaton told her as he continued to listen to Derek's heartbeat.

Stiles took a hold of Derek's hand, "He's a lot warmer now." She told him. Both Stiles and Deaton exchanged glances.

"Stiles, I'm going to try something." Deaton told her as he grabbed a scalpel, "I want you to keep holding his hand." Stiles eyed at the small knife, but gave him a head nod.

Deaton then checked Derek's healing ability by cutting his arm. Just as quickly as Deaton made the cut it disappeared, "That looks like it healed really fast." Stiles commented to him.

"That wasn't you?" Deaton asked Stiles. They had discovered a few things Stiles could do with the use of her power, healing was one of them.

"No," Stiles told him, "I can't do it that quickly."

"Then that was _unusually_ fast." Deaton told her as he removed his stethoscope from around his neck.

"What does it mean?"

Deaton made a tired sigh, "I'm not sure. Let's try something else." Deaton suggested to her, "Grab me a five milliliter syringe. Top drawer." Deaton turned to a cabinet in the room, while Stiles shuffled through the drawer.

As soon as Stiles found the syringe she heard a noise behind her and turned around. In front of her, she sees that Derek had awoken, "Derek..."

She also noticed that his claws were out and his eyes glowed the electric blue.

"Derek, are you all right?" Deaton asked when he noticed just how Derek was standing in his defensive stance. But as Stiles and Deaton were trying to talk to him their voices were muffled in Derek's ears.

"Derek..." Stiles tried once more. She made an effort to move, but the young Derek made a growling sound at her causing her to freeze completely.

"Derek, are you all right?" Deaton asked, noticing the behavior toward Stiles, "Derek?"

Derek was attempting to make out where he was, but he couldn't see anything other than a red haze with indistinct shapes and glowing eyes.

Derek was panting heavily as he looked between the two figures in front of him. Every instinct in him told him to get out, but he noticed that the one figure who kept repeating his name intended on getting closer to him, while the other held a small needle.

Driven by his instinct, Derek immediately lunged at the figure that was closer to him. But as he does he encountered a force field causing him to get pushed back.

"Derek?" The figure's voice was faint, but Derek was still on guard to see the other figure come after him.

Before Deaton even had a chance to get a hold of Derek, the young werewolf grabbed a hold of him easily and threw him against Stiles as he escaped.

"That can't be good." Stiles told Deaton, who had been scratched by the scared werewolf.

* * *

><p>Scott and Isaac arrived at the school hours later. They were walking through the corridor on their way to their history class.<p>

"Thanks for last night by the way." Scott told Isaac. They were walking up the steps that lead to the east building that held their class.

"No offense, I've had dinner with your Dad for the past couple of weeks." Isaac told him, "And it's really awkward considering how he kept asking me what happened to my family and why I was staying with you guys."

"Sorry about that," Scott told him, "I told him not to go and do something like that."

"Believe me it won't be happening again." Isaac told him as they walked into their history class.

Not everyone in the pack was able to sit together in the history class, Landon and Kira had been branched off close to the windows on the side of the classroom, Micah and Isaac had been placed in the back, while Scott sat next to an empty seat that belonged to Stiles in the front of the class.

Mr. Yukimura already started the class, "It might surprise you to know that some of history's greatest leaders have had to endure some pretty great failures." Mr. Yukimura told his class, "One you'll recognize from last night's reading failed in business, had a nervous breakdown, was defeated for both houses of Congress, and lost as Vice President, before he was finally elected as one of the greatest presidents that this country has ever seen. Who was he?" Mr. Yukimura looked around the class and his eyes landed on Micah, who had been highlighting his entire textbook, "Micah."

Micah was completely caught off guard by the question. The poor were-coyote had a yellow highlighter in his mouth and a red one in his hand. He looked totally afraid like a deer in headlights.

Due to Micah not answering, Mr. Yukimura Scott's phone rung in the class, "Scott, phones off." Mr. Yukimura told him. Scott did as instructed and Mr. Yukimura turned his attention back to Micah, "Micah? One of our greatest presidents. Gettysburg Address?"

Micah still doesn't have the answer and Kira was furiously waving her hand at her father.

There was another phone beep, "Phones off. Everyone." Mr. Yukimura instructed once more, "Micah?" Micah was frantically looking through his textbook, but by then Mr. Yukimura turned his attention to the class, "Does anyone else know?"

The entire class, aside from Scott, Landon, Kira, and Isaac raise their hands. Micah slowly slid into his seat with embarrassment.

This time another phone made a beeping sound, "I said phones off!" Mr. Yukimura shouted to his quiet class.

"Dad," Kira voiced from her seat. "That was yours."

Mr. Yukimura was clearly embarrassed from his outburst as reached in his pocket to grab his phone, "Oh. Um..." He read the text he had gotten out, "_Scott call Stiles?_" It came out as a question since he hadn't realized that Stiles had been absent in the first place.

* * *

><p>At the Animal Clinic, Stiles was just finishing putting bandages on Deaton's injured arm when Scott, Isaac, and Landon arrived.<p>

"I don't think he's just younger in body." Deaton told them once Stiles had finished wrapping him up, "I think he's younger in his _mind_ too."

"He didn't recognize either of us." Stiles shared with some disappointment, "And he looked like he was _scared_ out of his mind."

"So if you're a teenage werewolf and you're scared, where do you go?" Scott asked them.

"A wolf goes back to its _den_." Landon answered knowingly, "But Derek lives in a _loft_."

"Not when he was a _teenager_." Stiles told them.

"The Hale House?" Isaac questioned.

"He wouldn't remember the fire." Deaton told them, "It wouldn't have happened yet."

"Hold on." Isaac said realizing where the conversation was going, "Say we do manage to catch up to him? What are we going to say to him? That his whole family is _dead_?"

_At a construction site, Derek tore through a chain link fence and found the charred remnants of Hale House reduced to a pile of rubble within a rough outline of the home's stone foundation._

"I guess I'm going to have to." Scott said to them.

_He kneeled among the remaining boards, looking even more lost, scared, and confused._

"Oh... Good luck with that." Landon commented in a tone that clearly wasn't for the plan.

"He's probably right. Maybe you shouldn't." Isaac told Scott. "You know, at least until we figure out how to get him back to normal."

"I can't lie to him." Scott told them.

"I'll do it." Stiles volunteered.

"He'll know." Scott told her, "When we find him, we tell him the _truth_."

"If he gets to the house first, you won't have to." Deaton told him.

* * *

><p>Derek was still kneeling in the ruins when Deputy Parrish and another deputy arrived at the scene, "Excuse me, young man?" Deputy Parrish said getting Derek's attention.<p>

"You're calling him young man?" His partner asked with some attitude.

"Shut up, Haigh." Parrish told his partner, "Sorry, but you can't be here." He told the distraught Derek.

Derek still doesn't make a move, "Hey, dumbass." Haigh said rudely, "You ever hear of no trespassing?"

"This is my house." Derek said to not looking at him.

"Nobody's been here for years, kid." Haigh continued, "Now get the hell out of here." He snapped.

"Haigh... Maybe a slightly gentler touch." Parrish suggested to his partner, before turning his attention to Derek, "Are you all right? We can help you if something's wrong."

"What happened to my house?" Derek questioned in fear and confusion. This time he looked up at Parrish, "Where's my family? Where's my mother?"

"All right, let's go." Haigh took a rough hold of Derek, "Now."

Due to Haigh's harsh tactic, Derek squeezed his arm hard enough to make the bigger man back off. In anger, Haigh pulled out his tazer and charged it up.

"Hold on, just take it easy." Parrish intervened, trying to prevent the problem from escalating any farther, "Haigh, would you... Don't... Wait!"

Not listening to his partner, Haigh immediately goes after Derek, but just before Haigh could make contact he gets hit by a force field that suddenly appeared around him and knocking the deputy unconscious.

To Parrish it looked like Derek had punched the officer. Parrish felt like Haigh had it coming anyway.

* * *

><p>Derek was taken to the Sheriff's Station and handcuffed to the same bench where he and Chris Argent were handcuffed during the Nogitsune. Parrish approached the handcuffed teenage in a more gentle manner.<p>

"The other deputy thinks I'm an idiot for even asking, but I have a feeling if I take these cuffs off, you're going to be okay?" Parrish asked the teen. Derek gave him a curious look, "And I think you'll help us figure out what happened to your family so that we can get you out of here. Am I right?"

Derek gave him a small head nod as the handcuffs clanged undone, "The other deputy's the idiot." Derek stated indicating at Haigh who had an ice pack on his face.

"I can't argue with that." Parrish agreed with a chuckle.

"Parrish, get over here." Haigh called from his desk. Parrish made his way to his desk, "I ran this kid's prints eight times. This is all that comes up."

On the screen, all that came up was Derek Hale's criminal record (confusing since he's an adult in the picture), "Derek Hale?" Parrish confused as well. The screen showed Derek's middle name starts with an "S" and listed his height as 6'0" with a weight of 171. The list also included his address and phone numbers. One number Parrish recognized.

"Hey, Sheriff there's something you would want to see." Deputy Parrish called out to his boss, "There's a Derek Hale only it's not…"

"Did you say Hale?" Sheriff Stilinski asked in confusion. Stiles had told him that Derek had some kind of emergency and that was way he hadn't been around in the pass couple of months. He noticed the screen that held the picture of the older Derek and looked at the kid that was on the bench. He stared intently at Young Derek for a long time.

"Are you sure you ran those right?" The Sheriff asked Haigh.

"Ran them twice."

Then Sheriff made his way over to the bench and kneeled to the younger Derek, leaning in a bit closer and stared at him even more. Throughout the process, Young Derek was confused as to why he was getting stared at so intensely by the older man. The Sheriff raised to look again at the adult mugshot and back at the youngster.

The Sheriff was completely baffled, until Stiles and Scott both appeared running through the door. The Sheriff rubbed his face, "I'll handle this." The Sheriff told his deputies.

* * *

><p>In his office, the Sheriff looked terrified, "I want you to be honest with me." He told Scott and Stiles, "Absolutely and completely honest." Scott nodded in agreement while Stiles made a half attempt gesture of agreeing, "Have you been <em>time traveling<em>?"

"Hang on, what?" Stiles asked as if her father had lost his mind because out of all things she expected him to ask that wasn't one of them.

"Because if time traveling is real, you know what? I'm done. I'm out." The Sheriff ranted to them, "You're going to be driving _me_ to Eichen House."

"We found him like that." Scott told him.

"Where?" The Sheriff asked leaning away from his desk so he could whisper yell at them, "Swimming in the _fountain of youth_?"

"No." Stiles answered easily. The Sheriff raised his eyebrows at his daughter as she drawled out her answer, "We found him buried…" She rubbed the back of her neck nervously, "In a tomb of Wolfsbane… in an Aztec temple." She shared carefully as she watched her father's facial expression unfold, "In Mexico underneath a church…in the middle of a town that was destroyed…by an earthquake."

After a minor heart beat, "You told me you were _camping_!" The Sheriff claimed incredulously to his daughter.

"Yeah, we were..." Stiles admitted, "In Mexico."

"Derek's been aged backwards. He can't remember anything." Scott explained to the Sheriff, "We just need to talk to him."

"Yeah, well, so far he's not talking to anybody." The Sheriff said with a tired sigh. If anything he was probably over the supernatural nonsense.

"He'll talk to me."

* * *

><p>At least, that was Scott thought, but apparently Derek was wary of both of them, "Why would I go anywhere with you?" He asked the pair.<p>

"There was an accident." Scott explained to him, while Stiles stood by. She had noticed a stack of mail on a desk and noticed a specific past due bill from Eichen House that had been marked as FINAL, "You lost some memory, but we can help you get it back."

"How much memory?" Derek asked.

"A lot." Scott told him as he kneeled to Derek's level, "But you can trust us." Scott flashed him his Alpha red eyes.

"You're an Alpha." Derek noticed, but he still wasn't convinced as he continued questioning, "Okay, who are you?" And then Derek switched his attention over to Stiles, "And who is she?" Stiles looked back over to Scott and Derek. "And why do you smell vaguely familiar?"

"Because I am your-," Stiles started to say, but she cut off as Scott elbowed her, "Lawyer." She spilled out earning her an eyebrow raise from the younger wolf, "You know the person keeping you out of jail." Stiles stated recovering quickly.

"Let us help you." Scott pressed to Derek, before Derek could retaliate to the obvious lie.

"No."

"Okay, look," Stiles reasoned when she got to Derek's level, "What _really_ happened when that deputy with the ice pack tried to tazer you?" Parrish had given them the rundown of how he and Haigh had confronted Derek and Derek punching Haigh.

"He got hit by a barrier." Derek softly so no one could hear them.

"Right," Stiles agreed with him gently, "I put that there to protect you from getting hurt by anyone."

"Wha-"

"No questions," She interrupted him, holding up a finger, "You _need_ to listen to us." She pressed toward him. "And that starts with no fangs, no claws, no _wolf_ man. _None_ of what you did at the clinic. You got that?"

Derek glanced between Scott and Stiles for a moment, "I'm fine as long as it's not on a full moon." Derek caved.

"You still have trouble with the full moon?"

"I said I'm fine." Derek snapped at her.

"All right," Stiles voiced holding her hands up as a sign of surrender, "You coming with us or not?"

"You want me to trust you?" Derek questioned them again with some doubt, "Where's my family?" This time the question was pointed at Scott.

"There was a fire. And..." Scott hesitated as he looked at the younger Derek, who's face began to fall with fear and worry, "They're not here anymore. They're fine." Scott lied, "Just had to move out of Beacon Hills. And we're going to take you to them as soon as we figure out how to get your memories back."

Both Derek and Stiles let breaths of relief, "Okay." Derek told him.

While Derek was being processed out, "I shouldn't have done that." Scott told Stiles guiltily as they watched Derek, "I lied my ass off."

"Hey, your ass is fine." Stiles assured him, "You saved him a ton of _unnecessary_ pain. We'll figure this out in a day or two, he goes back to being old Derek, everyone's happy." She theorized to him, "Except for Derek, who may or may not kill me if he remembers any of this."

"It's just _another_ person that we're lying to." Scott told her, "I always feel like it's always been better when we tell the truth. With Landon, my mom, your dad."

Stiles agreed completely, "Yeah, but that is Derek in there." She told him, "He may be a kid right now, but he's still Derek. _My_ Derek."

"All right." Scott uttered as he patted Stiles on the shoulder, "Take him to my house and don't let him out of your sight."

"And where do you think you are going?"

"I'm going to go talk to the guy we should have gone to before." Scott told her just before he exited the station.

"Uh... Yeah," Stiles called out to him when she realized what he meant, "I _hate_ that guy."

* * *

><p>Landon, Isaac and Kira pulled up to the same gas station from the previous night, "Scott's going to find Peter." Isaac told them from the backseat, "And we're supposed to meet Stiles at Scott's house." Stiles had tried to leave Derek with Isaac earlier, but that didn't go so well.<p>

"That sounds like a horrible plan." Landon commented as he started to unbuckle his seatbelt, "But we've had worse. Like yesterday in Mexico?" He peered pointedly at Kira.

"What happened in Mexico?" Isaac questioned.

"About that." Kira said nervously, "Remember how we were in the club and you and Scott were tied up to electrified cables?"

"Vividly."

"I know. I guess what I'm trying to ask is..." She struggled, "If my hand was on the dial connected to you and I had to turn it up to ten..."

"Would I be angry?" Landon asked finishing the fumbling statement.

"Yeah."

"No. Because I knew you had no choice." Landon told her, "Exactly like Scott knows. And if you're worried about him, just remember, you're a Katana-wielding, badass Kitsune." Kira smiled at the statement.

"What about Stiles?" Isaac asked, "Where was she in all this?"

"Trapped in this dirty bathroom called a prison with Micah." Landon told him. Isaac rolled his eyes and Landon caught the action, "Jealousy is not a good color on you." Landon told him.

"I'm not jealous." Isaac retorted defended himself, "I just don't trust him."

"And I'm almost sure that the feeling is_ mutual_ between the two of you," Landon pointed out to him, "Maybe some folklore are true after all."

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" Isaac questioned the Reaper in an annoyed tone.

Landon smirked at the deflection, "Well..." Landon said as he opened his car door, "Kira grab a card from the visor so we can fill up. The Beacon Hills Credit Union." Landon instructed as he walked off.

Kira pulled down the visor and noticed a row full of credit cards, "Does this many cards mean you have good credit or bad?" She asked Isaac, who responded with 'I don't know' gesture. Kira happened to look at the gas indicator, "Hey, it looks like you have... A full tank." Kira shouted out to Landon.

"Something smells weird." Isaac claimed suddenly. He took another whiff and made a face of disgust, "Smells like death."

Kira and Isaac quickly exited the car and started to search for Landon. As they got closer to the building, "That smell is getting worse." Isaac commented.

They found Landon on the side of the building staring into a room, not moving. "Landon are you okay?" Kira asked sensing something wrong.

"Don't look." Landon advised them, but the advice went unheeded as Isaac and Kira turned and looked into the blood soaked room.

* * *

><p>Stiles was focusing on the road, while Derek or Young Derek as she kept calling him inside her head kept shuffling around in the passenger seat. At first, it wasn't so annoying since he had been adjusting himself in the first place.<p>

However, when he made another move for the 50th time she had just about had it, "Will you, for the love of God, please stop with the constant moving around?" Stiles asked him, "We're almost there."

"Well maybe if you could do something about that smell you're giving off I wouldn't have to." Derek shot at her.

"Are you saying that I _stink_?" Stiles accused him.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Derek told her with no filter, "You smell of Scott, which is understandable since he's the Alpha. But you also reek of another wolf."

"That would be Isaac, you know the guy you nearly attacked," Stiles told him, "He's part of the pack and has been helping me with something for the past couple of months."

"Oh," Derek commented almost as if he had realized something, "So you're his mate then?"

Stiles bit back a laugh that she felt forming at the bottom of her throat, "No, he's just a really good friend."

"Then why do you have that mark on your neck?" Derek questioned and automatically Stiles touched the said mark, "Werewolves tend to leave that kind of mark just above the person's neck when they are soul-bonded to them. A soul-bond is rare, but to a human it's even rarer."

"Oh?" Stiles commented acting as if she never heard of it before.

"So if he's not your mate, then who is?"

"Why are you still asking?" Stiles deflected easily.

"Why are you answering a question with another question?"

"Let's just say it's a mutual friend."

"It's not my Uncle Peter is it?" It took everything in Stiles not to hurl at the thought, while Derek leaned over and took another sniff, "I mean you smell so _familiar."_

"Hey how about we stop sniffing Stiles." Stiles offered to him and pushed him away, "In fact no more sniffing or asking Stiles questions until we figure this out."

There was a moment of silence between them when Derek spoke again, "You're not really a lawyer, are you?" He questioned with a smirk.

"What did I just say?"

* * *

><p>It was slightly dark, when Scott arrived at the Derek's loft on his motorbike. He was surprised to see that Micah was standing outside waiting for him, "What are you doing here?"<p>

"I heard you were coming to talk to Peter." He told him, "And since everyone, so far, has told me he's basically Satan in a V-neck, I figured you shouldn't be alone."

"I can _handle_ Peter." Scott told him. When Micah had first started his training with Scott, everyone had noticed just at how intensely Peter was watching him as they practiced. It was like Peter knew what they knew.

Of course, after learning their lessons so many times with Peter, the pack had decided to keep Micah away from Peter at all times. That and there was another as well.

"You can handle him better with me." Micah told him confidently as he led the way to the loft.

* * *

><p>It was now dark when Stiles and Derek arrived at the McCall residence, "We're going to wait here for Scott." She told him in a business tone, "We're going to sit quietly. We're not going to call or talk to anyone." She told him.<p>

"Do I talk to you?" Derek asked as they walked through the living room.

"I rather you didn't." Stiles told him. After what happened earlier she really wasn't in the mood to be grilled for more information.

"Fine. Good." Derek quirked at her, obviously annoyed that she didn't answer his question from earlier. "Who's going to talk to him?" He asked tilting his head toward the kitchen.

Right inside said kitchen stood Agent McCall with a bag of some take-out, "Are you getting taller?" Stiles asked jumping when she caught sight of the Agent.

"What are you guys doing here?" Agent McCall asked the pair.

Before Stiles could even lie, "We're waiting for Scott." Derek told him with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, so am I. We're supposed to have dinner." Agent McCall told them as he set the food down on the kitchen table, "I brought extra. You guys hungry?"

"Yeah."

"No." Stiles answered at the exact time Derek answered, "We're not hungry." She told the Agent.

"No, I'm starving." Derek claimed, looking at her.

"Neither of us are hungry." She said completely contradicting everything Derek was saying, "Thanks, though."

"Okay, well if you're not hungry, Stiles," Agent McCall said to her, "Your friend can still eat with us. What's your name?"

"Miguel." Stiles answered quickly, before Derek could even answer. This earned her getting another look from Derek. "My cousin Miguel…" She threw an arm over his shoulder, gave it a good squeeze along with a fake laugh, "From Mexico. So..." Next thing Stiles knew Agent McCall started speaking in Spanish to Derek, "Oh my God." She mumbled softly.

She just wanted to get Derek upstairs already, but no. Derek too had also started speaking flawless Spanish to Agent McCall, which just left her a bit shocked and impressed.

"Fantastic." Agent McCall expressed in English, "Egg roll?"

"Hell, yeah." Derek cheered as he gave a laugh and flashed a smile at Stiles before he went to the kitchen. Stiles stood in the living room laughing nervously as she watched Derek and Agent McCall sort out the food.

"Shrimp fried rice or pork fried rice?" Agent McCall asked in the kitchen.

"Shrimp fried rice." Derek said to the Agent, "Beef and broc-"

Never had Stiles wished so much for the link to be working, "Unbelievable." She mumbled to herself, "Fantastic! Egg roll." Stiles feigned happiness aloud as she headed into the kitchen with the guys.

* * *

><p>When Micah and Scott entered through the loft Micah noticed Scott's strange behavior, "What's wrong with you?" Micah asked him as they walked through the dark empty loft.<p>

"Nothing."

"Your heart's pounding like _crazy_." Micah said as they walked through the room, "Are you nervous?"

"He's just bad at introductions." A new voice told him, Scott and Micah both turned to see Peter sitting on the couch reading a magazine.

"Peter..." Scott said not fully expecting Peter to actually be sitting there waiting on them, "This is Micah."

Peter looked over at Micah from the couch and dropped the magazine he had been reading. Micah was starting to get some major creeper vibes going on, "Beautiful eyes." Peter said with some interest, "Did you get them from your father?"

"Mother." Micah commented as he stepping beside Scott feeling fully creeped out. He had noticed the way Peter had been watching as he trained with Scott too, but meeting this guy was a more unsettling than he thought.

"Interesting." Peter commented, before he lost interest, "Anyway, I'm sure they've told you a lot about me."

"The _homicidal_ killing spree came up." Micah spoke to him, still standing beside Scott.

"Well, we're all works in progress." Peter told him casually.

"Well, when you progress to your next killing spree, why don't you try and make sure they all stay dead?" Micah snapped at him.

Peter turned his attention toward the coyote and the Alpha, "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"What do you know about people being turned by a scratch?" Scott asked already wanting to get out there himself.

"Did you scratch someone, Scott?" Peter questioned him in feign worry, "Don't worry about it, the claws have to go pretty deep."

"But it's possible." Scott reiterated, "Like if you _clawed_ out someone's throat?"

"Well, yeah, it's possible. It's also beyond rare." Peter admitted, "We're talking one in a... ...million." Then he realized who they were talking about.

* * *

><p>Stiles was sitting between Agent McCall and Derek at the table in silence until, "So, uh, Miguel." Agent McCall asked, "What did you say your last name was again?"<p>

"Oh, it's Juarez." Stiles answered quickly with her mouth full, "Cinqua... Tiago."

"That's a mouthful." Agent McCall said as he took a bite of his food, "How do you spell that?"

Derek made it a point to look at Stiles with a look. A look that clearly told her to go ahead and finish telling him whatever lies she had planned.

"Phonetically."

As Derek reached over to get more food he noticed a badge on the table, "Mr. McCall, you're an FBI agent?"

"He's low level." Stiles said, wishing that Derek would just shut up, "Very low level. He doesn't even have a voice."

"So do you investigate murders?" Derek asked ignoring Stiles glances. And also the kick under the table she gave him.

"Sometimes." Agent McCall said oblivious to Stiles reactions, "When it's a Federal crime."

"What about fires?"

Stiles released a nervous laugh, "Oh my God, I wonder where Scott is." Stiles pondered to them choking down her food, "Shouldn't Scott be here by now? We should _definitely_ call Scott."

But neither of them were paying her any attention, "What kind of fires are you talking about?"

Stiles could practically feel the earth still when Derek asked the one question she was hoping to avoid all night, "Do you know anything about the Hale family?"

* * *

><p>"Can't someone in this town <em>stay<em> dead?" Peter asked with frustration.

"I think they were hoping you would." Micah said in a tone.

"How rude," Peter commented, looking to Scott, "Even after I helped with the Nogitsune."

Scott rolled his eyes at Peter theatrics. Yes, Peter had helped him rescue Stiles from her subconscious and had helped the twins fight off the Oni, but Scott knew better. Peter didn't people unless he had something to benefit from it. So far Peter had done nothing shady…yet.

"Do you have any idea why Kate would turn Derek into a teenager again?" Scott asked.

"What color were his eyes?" Peter asked him.

"Blue."

"After Paige." Peter commented, "Which could mean around the time he first met Kate."

This was the first time Scott was hearing about this, "Derek and Kate _knew_ each other?"

"Biblically." Peter said and noticed the look of shock on Scott's face, "That's right, Scott. You weren't the _first_ wolf to climb into a _hunter's_ bed."

* * *

><p>When Derek had gotten his answer at the table, he seemed perfectly okay. Which Stiles was really shocked about and felt relieved, but the moment they were alone in Scott's room, Derek's mood changed completely.<p>

Stiles found herself being forced up against the closed door with a very pissed off Derek. Derek had both of his hands on each side of her head, glaring right at her eyes glowing blue, "Okay, I didn't lie." She defended herself quickly, but she received a growl, "Okay, I omitted certain truths." She confessed as Derek made another growling sound and moved away. Stiles slowly moved away from the door, "_Vital_ truths now that I think about it."

"I don't want to talk to you." Derek informed her angrily when he turned his attention back to her, "I want to talk to the Alpha. I'll talk to Scott." His tone changed from anger to upset.

"Okay." Stiles quickly agreeing with him, "I'm going to go get him. My phone's downstairs. Going to call him real quick." She said and was about to leave the room when she turned back to him, "Give me your hand."

"What? Why?" Derek snapped at her, "Go call Scott. Now!"

"I will just give me your hand first." She pressed as she stepped closer to him, but Derek doesn't move an inch, "Look, I'm sorry you had to find out like that. Just give me your hand."

Derek gave her a cautious look, but held out his hand. When Stiles gripped it, he felt a warm sensation overcome his body. As she pulled away Derek looked at a key that had been wrapped by a thread in his hand.

"What is this for?" He questioned looking at the key, "And what was that?" He asked her as he started to feel safe and could feel an invisible pull coming from her. It took a second for it click right then, "Wait you're mine aren't you?" As a look of realization fell on his face while Stiles just stared at him, "You're my mate."

Stiles remained poker-faced and there was a beat, "I have no idea what you're talking about." Stiles denied finally, "Just put it on and stay just here, just don't move, okay?" She told him, before he could question her farther. She had felt it too, it was the bond resettling between them.

Stiles turned as Derek watched her leave with a confused expression, "Don't move." She was out the door, but not a second later she popped her head back through the threshold, "I thought you..." She mumbled, but continued down the hall. As she did, Derek could feel it again and was confused more than ever because something told him that she was absolutely lying.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Derek went to the site of the house thinking it was still there, right?" Peter asked once Scott had filled him in on the situation.<p>

"Yeah. But he doesn't remember the fire."

"But if he doesn't remember the fire, then he doesn't remember that it was Kate that set it." Peter said to them.

"So what does that mean?" Micah asked, knowing something about their situation was not going to end well.

"Kate didn't just take him back to being a teenager." Peter told them, "She took him back to the age where he still knew her. When he still _trusted_ her."

"But he's with Stiles," Scott shared with him, "Wouldn't he trust her more?"

"Not exactly," Peter expressed, "Especially since he didn't trust the two of you in the beginning."

* * *

><p>While Derek waited for Stiles to come back, he wore the key as instructed. For reasons he couldn't understand he continued getting the same warm feeling. Almost of home and family. He was certain that she was his, but nothing was making sense. The more he thought about it the more confused he got. He was still trying to piece together what was going on when the door to Scott's bathroom creaked and Kate Argent appeared from the shadows.<p>

"Kate?" Derek asked more confused now that than ever.

"Hey, handsome." She spoke leaning on the door frame, with a smile on her face. She made her way over to Derek, "Been a long time." She said with a small laugh, "Longer than you think."

Stiles was walking her way back to the room with Scott on the phone, "No, he's in your bedroom, he'll be totally fine. I didn't tell him..." She spoke making her way down the hall, "To be honest, this one has more anger issues than Derek did when we met him. So, if you actually think that Kate's coming to find him..."

In that exact moment, Stiles sees Kate absconded out the window with Derek. In reaction, Stiles formed an energy ball in her palm and threw it at Kate, but it missed just as Kate gave her a smile and disappeared, "You might be right." Stiles said into the phone.

**Part 2 will be up later today just b/c. However the original update schedule will be back next week.**


	4. 117(2)

At the loft, Peter was ready jump into action when Scott suddenly stopped him, "Wait." Scott urged at him.

"For what?" Peter asked hurriedly, "Kate's out there twisting her way into Derek's head yet _again_. We need to find her."

"All we need's a scent." Micah suggested trying to help.

"That could take hours." Scott told him, "Stiles gave him the key, but she's not exactly sure if she could get his exact location, since somehow she's getting blocked." Scott told them, "If that is another Kate's doing from what she did to him, we need to get ahead of her, we need to figure out where she's going."

"Not to underestimate my own cognitive faculties, but we're not exactly a brain trust of _geniuses_ here." Peter told him.

"Then maybe we should call one." Scott suggested to him.

Landon clued in Scott of the discovery he found in the gas station bathroom, "We called Stilinski." Landon told Scott over the phone. He and Kira were still in the bathroom, while Isaac went to meet up with Stiles, "They're on their way."

"What does it look like?" Scott questioned, "Can you send pictures?"

"Uh, okay." Landon said, he and Kira stood at various parts of the bathroom as Landon took clear pictures of the murder scene, "To be honest, I have a 4.0 in _AP_ Biology and there are parts of the human anatomy I have _never_ seen before on these walls."

Both Kira and Landon quivered as they moved around trying not to step on any of bloody spots. There were parts all on the walls and some of the blood continued on sliding down the walls. And as for the body, the guy's head appeared to be missing.

Peter, Scott, and Micah examined the pictures that Landon had sent over, "Why would she want to kill a gas station attendant?" Micah asked.

"I don't think she could help it." Peter realized as he took a turn looking over the photos, "This was done in a frenzy. It's not a murder. It's a symptom."

"Of what?" Scott asked.

"She can't _control_ the shift."

"Derek said he had the same issue on the full moon." Scott remembered from the police station, "That he was still learning."

"Kate's still learning?" Micah asked.

"She _wants_ to learn." Peter corrected him as he handed Scott's phone back to him. It was starting to make sense now.

"So she wants Derek to teach her?" Micah guessed.

"No. She wants the Triskelion."

* * *

><p>Kate and Derek arrived at Beacon Hills High School. Kate was hurriedly leading the way, but it was Derek who was following behind slowly, "What's wrong?" Kate asked him.<p>

"I don't know about this." Derek said stopping them in the tunnel, "I'm not supposed to show the vault to anyone outside my family."

Kate gave him a thoughtful look, "Come on, we talked about this."

"Yeah, but, how do you even know?" Derek knew that his memory was missing, but he still wasn't exactly sure about a lot of things that were coming into play.

"Because you told me. Don't you remember?" She asked him, of course she knew he didn't remember, but Derek was looking like he was ready to turn back at any moment. "Tell me if you remember this." As Kate tried to place a hand on him, she hits the force field Stiles had placed on him.

Kate looked at him with surprise, "What is this?"

"I don't know." Derek told her, "It happened to me earlier today." He remembered at the construction site, "That Stiles person said that she put it on me to protect me. In case anyone tried to hurt me." Then Derek started to look at Kate questioningly.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Kate assured him, "We get inside the vault. We get the Triskelion. Figure out how to get rid of that and then everything goes back to normal."

"That's all you want?" Derek asked her.

"That's all we need." She told him, "But right now we have to get inside that vault."

Derek gave her a smile and led Kate to the Beacon Hills High School sign. He inserted his claws into the metal grate on the side of the brick sign and gave it a twist. The sign slid back revealing a staircase leading underground.

"Why would your family build a vault under a high school?" Kate asked him.

"The vault was here first." Derek stated with a smirk.

* * *

><p>When Scott, Micah, and Peter arrived at the school, Micah suddenly started smelling the air, "Did you catch a scent?" Scott asked him.<p>

Micah shook his head, "It's the same one." He slowly realized, "The same one as Mexico."

"What is he talking about?" Peter asked them.

Scott then took a sniff of the air and smelled the exact same thing, "One of them came after us in the Church ruins..." Scott's voice trailed.

"And one on the road." Micah told him.

"They couldn't have followed us here." Scott figured, "But they could've been brought, by Kate."

Just then the air was filled with a low growling sound, "Oh, I've heard that sound before." Peter said instantly, "Did it have an animal skull? A human wearing a skull over its face?"

"I think so." Micah answered.

"What are they?" Scott questioned

"Berserkers." Peter shared just as a figure made of bone appeared from the darkness releasing another growl at them. Micah instinctively tried to go at it, but Peter quickly grabbed him by the arm to hold him back, "Are you crazy?"

"There's just one of them." Micah claimed trying to pull away from Peter, still ready to attack.

"And that means we have a chance."

"To beat him?" Micah questioned with some eagerness.

"To survive." With that being said Peter had no problem leaving Scott and Micah to fend for themselves.

* * *

><p>Derek was already searching for the disk, while Kate was examining a metal safe that stood in the center of the vault.<p>

Derek told her, "Not that." As he held up the disk he had been looking for.

* * *

><p>Scott and Micah had managed to get away from the berserker, but were soon faced with another that made a low growl at them.<p>

"Scott. It's _both_ of them." Micah reported as he halted in the corridor, "They're both here."

"Where the hell's Peter?" Scott demanded as the other berserker from before had caught up with them. Scott and Micah stood back to back from each other.

"I don't know." Micah said not taking his eye of the skull-figured creature in front of him, "He just took off."

* * *

><p>"This is it?" Kate asked curiously, "You're sure?"<p>

"Yeah." Derek said confidently.

"It doesn't look like much." She noted as she examined it in her hands.

"That's 'cause it isn't." A new voice echoed through the vault. Both Derek and Kate turn to see Peter entering the vault.

"Uncle Peter?" Derek asked confused as to why his uncle looked so much older than he remembered.

"Quite the elaborate scheme you have here, Kate." Peter said ignoring his confused nephew, "Two countries, Aztec temples, Derek returned to a teenager. One that _trusted_ you. One that _loved_ you." He gloated, "All this _complication_ just to gain access to our vault. Just to get your hands on that little piece of junk. Turn it over." He said with his arms folded, "Go ahead. There's a scrape on the back where it used to say "Made in China.""

"You're lying." Kate gritted at him.

"I admit I have a tendency to _exaggerate_ things." Peter confessed as he started to circle around her, "But in this case the truth is so much more fun." He said as he watched Kate's face fall into disappointment when she saw that he was telling the truth, "Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart, that little pendant is just a _physical_ object to focus on. It's _training_ wheels. Talia used it to teach Laura. I tried to use it to teach Derek."

* * *

><p>Micah and Scott were now facing off with the berserkers. Each dealing with one on their own. However, the berserkers were a lot faster than the two were-creatures. The one Micah had been facing off managed to cut him in his leg once more as the other fought Scott and smashed his head into the column. Scott released a loud roar on the impact.<p>

* * *

><p>In fact, the roar was so loud that it could be heard throughout the school campus including in the underground vault. Derek looked around worriedly.<p>

"Is this real?" Kate questioned to Derek, "_Tell_ me if this is real." She demanded, she tried once again to make a grab at him, but was once again blocked by the force field.

"Didn't you hear that?" Derek countered back, "That was Scott. I just heard Scott..." Scott was there...that would mean she was with him also.

"Tell me!" Kate demanded breaking Derek out of his reverie.

"I don't know." Derek snapped at her as he headed toward the exit of the vault, "And I don't care!" Without a second thought, Derek abandoned Kate. Leaving her alone with a smiling Peter.

* * *

><p>Stiles, Landon, and Isaac both arrived at the school running through the tunnel. They stopped as they too heard the sound of Scott's roar.<p>

"You _seriously_ need to find something _better_ than a baseball bat." Landon told Stiles when he noticed she had grabbed her bat.

"Well, I could use something else, but lately people have been giving me the stink eye if I do." She countered to him.

"Guys, now is not the time to be arguing." Isaac told them as he took a sniff to the air, "It smells like death around here."

"Okay, fine Isaac you and Landon go find Derek," Stiles told them, "He's around here somewhere. I can feel it. I'll go help Scott."

"Be careful, Stiles." Landon warned her. Stiles gave him a head nod as she disappeared in front of them.

"Let's go." Landon told Isaac.

* * *

><p>Scott and Micah were now at the stairs of the east corridor of the school. They were still on run as the berserkers chased after them easily without a problem. Doesn't mean they were problem free though, Scott and Micah were both injured and had hit a dead end at the end of a corridor. Just when they were about to get attacked Kira then jumped in over the railing as she slashed at the berserkers with her sword.<p>

She managed to knock one away, but she was so focused on the one she didn't realize that other had recovered and was making its attack on her.

"Kira!" Scott shouted. Too little too late, the other recovering berserker managed to disarm her with a punch to the face and tossed her to the ground with the others.

When the berserkers started to bear down on them, Stiles materialized in front of them and was in awe of the skeleton-figures. It only lasted for a second as Stiles dropped the bat and held her hands up in front of her just as both berserkers came swinging at her.

As expected, they do hit the blue force field surrounding Stiles and the others, but something happened that never has happened before. It stayed visible with what appeared to be a crack in it. One of the bones from the berserkers had managed to get through narrowly missing Stiles' face.

"Oh, that can't be good." Stiles mumbled, just before the two berserkers made another attack. This time together and destroying the force field completely in a shattering-glass effect, knocking Stiles onto the ground with the others.

"You okay?" Scott questioned seeing the red markings making an appearance again.

"I'm fine." Stiles assured him, even though the lines on her neck were stretched down to her shoulders and were turning into a darker shade of red.

"Anyway you can get us all out at the same time?" Scott questioned, leaving the rest of the question unspoken.

"Not a chance." Stiles told him as the berserkers inched closer to them. The berserkers were about to attack Stiles and the pack, when a small figure appeared in front of them swiping at the berserkers, forcing them back.

It was only for a second when the figure turned and revealed to be young Derek with his eyes glowing blue staring right at Stiles, "You are." He spoke before taking on the berserkers.

* * *

><p>Peter and Kate were still in the vault discussing the metal disk that Kate held in her hand, "Derek gave up on it back when he learned another way to control the shift." Peter told her, "When I taught him. I taught him to use <em>emotion<em>." He said with some pride, "To use anger and to _focus_ on it. To _feel_ every ounce of rage and hatred that he could summon. It was the anger that _taught_ him control."

Peter finally came to a full stop, "Of course, that changed after he met Stiles, but you want to learn to control it?" He taunted at her as he flashed his claws, "You want to get angry, Kate. Let's get angry!"

Both Kate and Peter were ready to fight, when then several smoke grenades were tossed down into the vault exploding with a flash near Peter. While Kate was being choked by the smoke, she was otherwise unhindered by the attack. Peter was partially blinded and unable to get up as a figure in black boots walked slowly into the vault, opened the safe, removed a large briefcase and walked out.

"Wait!" Peter yelled as the figure came and went.

* * *

><p>Young Derek was still going against the berserkers and the force field Stiles had put around him had already been broken due to one of the bones making impact. Even though the berserkers had gotten in some good shots, Derek continued on fighting.<p>

While watching the fight, Scott noticed that every time one of the berserkers managed to get a hit in Derek's face turned into his older version, but quickly changed back to his younger self.

Before the fight could progress, there was a sound of a loud growl that filled the air, apparently Kate calling them, and they disengaged from their fight with Derek.

* * *

><p>Isaac and Landon made it to the vault only to find Peter starting at the empty metal safe, "It was never... Never about the Triskelion." Peter realized, "They took it, they took it while I was blinded."<p>

"Took what?" Isaac asked him.

"Bonds." Peter replied in a daze, "Bearer bonds and they took them all."

"Bearer bonds? Are you saying you got robbed?" Then Isaac gestured all around the underground vault, "This was a _heist_? Somebody _planned_ this?"

"How much did they take?" Landon asked noticing the expression Peter wore on his face.

"117..."

"Thousand?" Isaac guessed.

"Million."

* * *

><p>The were-creatures had finally healed from their wounds by the berserkers, as young Derek turned back to them. His eyes were still glowing blue as he made his way over to Stiles, while making a low growling sound.<p>

Micah attempted to make a move toward them, but Kira and Scott held him back as they watched Derek stand in front of Stiles.

"You _are_ my mate." He said to her, placing his hand on her cheek, "You're my _soulmate_."

Stiles remained silent, but gave him a slow head nod. In response, Derek leaned in and placed a light kiss right on her lips as he slowly began to shift.

"Derek?" Stiles questioned when she sees Derek as an adult with a beard. He gave her a nod and without even thinking Stiles automatically gripped him into a hug as Derek wrapped her tightly in his arms.

However, from behind Stiles's back Scott noticed that Derek eyes weren't glowing their normal blue anymore. Instead, they were glowing the beta yellow and Derek looked quite disturbed.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"Wait," Coach says in his office, "What? When did this happen?"

"Remember when Stiles kept disappearing?" Isaac asks easily.

"She wasn't the only one that kept disappearing." Coach reminds him. "Wait is that why the two of you were-"

"Yes, Coach." Stiles inputs, "Isaac and I were-"

"Stop right there," Coach points at her, "I don't want to hear it. I'm just trying to understand as to why we are having this conversation."


	5. Muted(1)

**Because I'm curious, what do you guys want to see happening this season? I'll try and incorporate your ideas in it if possible cause y'all are awesome.**

In a dark quiet neighborhood a teenage boy stood on the outside of his porch, "Willow!" He called out, but there was no reply. Not even a source of movement either. He could hardly see anything with the one streetlight that just so happened to be working. He waited for a few seconds before he went back inside.

"Mom, I can't find her." He said once he's back inside. But he also doesn't get a reply as well. He thought nothing of it as he went room to room downstairs and turned out the lights before heading to the second floor and going to bed.

Once he made it to his room and was about ready to turn off his desk lamp, he noticed some strange markings on his carpet. He moved the lamp from his nightstand to get a better look and discovered there were dirty paw prints on the carpet and they were leading under his bed.

He followed the trial under the bed and found his cat "Willow" peering back. He brought down the desk lamp to get a better look and discovered that his black and white cat was covered in something.

He reached under the bed to figure what exactly his cat was covered in it was sticky. When he placed his hand under the light he noticed that his hand was covered in blood.

In that moment just outside his bedroom door, screaming and shouting filled the air. He quickly raced to open the door and just as he does something walked out into the hall and it was a dark figure. The boy could tell that the figure was holding some kind of weapon.

The shadowy assailant lifted up his arm. On it he wore a small keyboard on his arm and began typing on it, "Hello, Sean." An automated voice said to him, "I just killed your family. Do you want to die like them?"

The boy rushed back inside his room and slammed the door just as a tomahawk head slammed through it. He quickly rushed to the bathroom and locked it behind him and began to rummage through drawers looking for a weapon.

Meanwhile, the door from the hall to his bedroom gave way and the vintage glass crystal doorknob turned as the figure stepped into the room, "Begging for your life? Or do you want to fight?" He asked just outside the bathroom door.

Inside Sean had found nothing of use, "I'll give you some help." The man continued typing, "Wrap a towel around your fist, smash the mirror. Use one of the shards to defend yourself." The assailant instructed, "Go ahead. I'm waiting."

Sean was already in a panic and did just as the man had advised him and looked right at the mirror in the bathroom.

On the outside of the bathroom, the attacker heard the sound of glass break within, "Are you ready, Sean? Because here I come."

Without wasting another second, he kicked opened the door only to discover an empty room. When the attacker looked around the room it became apparent that Sean had broken the bathroom window.

As the attacker peered out of the window, he could see Sean running away from the house in the middle the street below.

If anyone had actually been up and peeking out their own windows to see what had happened, from the bathroom room window they would've seen the shadow of a man.

Even better if they were in the right angle of that one working streetlight they could see the attacker and discover that the man had no mouth, just smooth skin from his nose to his chin, holding a bloody tomahawk.

* * *

><p>When Stiles woke up in the loft, the week after they rescued Derek from Mexico, she found herself witnessing a sit down between Derek, Peter, and Braeden. Derek wasn't paying to attention because he was busy staring at his reflection of his own eyes in a pair of sunglasses while Peter and Braeden were simply staring at each other, like they were about to go to war.<p>

It was amusing considering the face Peter was making towards the woman, "That table's Italian." Peter commented clearly not amused by Braeden's rude guest manners.

"So are these boots." Braeden countered in an uncaring manner and not removing her shoes off the table, "Are we going to talk interior designing fashion or are we going to talk numbers?"

Peter gave her a glaring look as he wrote down a number on a piece of paper. He slid the paper over to her. Braeden took one look at the sheet and automatically crossed out the written number and replaced it with one of her own. Peter took one look and was now more unimpressed.

"We're hiring you to find Kate," Peter told her, "Not assassinate the President." He slid the paper back across the table.

"I was hired by the Calaveras to find Kate." Braeden restated carrying a business tone, "You're hiring me to find her first. Going _against_ the Calaveras is what's going to cost you."

While the two were bickering Stiles made her way over to Braeden's side of the table and peeked over the woman's shoulder at the price and couldn't hide the shock on her face, "Whoa that has got to be more than my MRI bill and my visit to Eichen House." She commented.

"My point exactly." Peter said agreeing with Stiles.

"But they weren't exactly team human either, Landon was tied up to an electric circuit."

"You're not helping." Peter told her.

"Sorry, I'm not here to help you." Stiles countered with fake sympathy.

Before Peter can retort back Derek interrupted, "We'll pay. Just find Kate, that's all we want." Derek said to Braeden.

Braeden gave a simple head nod and Peter removed himself from the table in an 'I'm so done with you' manner.

Braeden left without another word. By the time she was gone Peter had turned his attention to Derek, "Are you insane?" Peter asked him as he slammed the loft door closed.

"We don't have a choice." Derek told him as he got up from the couch to face his uncle, "We spent a week looking for her and came up with nothing."

"If we don't find out, who told Kate about the vault, we don't get those bonds back!" Peter shouted at him, "What do you think I'm gonna do then, huh? Get a job?"

"Wow," A new voice appeared out of nowhere, they turn to see Isaac walking through the loft, "That's what you're most worried about? Getting a job?"

"My resume is _slightly_ out of date." Peter informed him.

"Makes me question more about your age." Stiles mumbled.

"Aren't you both supposed to be at school or something?" Peter gritted now annoyed at the two teens.

"He's right. You guys should focus on school," Derek said to Stiles and Isaac, "This isn't something for either of you to worry about."

"When it concerns you I have every right to be." Stiles countered back to him. They had been having this same argument for the past week. "She had you for two months!"

"You could get hurt. Both of you."

"That's starting to sound really old." Stiles mumbled as she stood in front of him.

"I'm not having you put yourself at risk." Derek snapped at her. Stiles wasn't shocked to say the least, "Especially when _she's_ out there."

Stiles simply stared at him, "Okay." She found herself saying when she realized it why was so important, Derek's face softened at the sound of her word, "I get it."

_You do really?_ Derek's voice echoed into her head.

_Yes_

_So you'll stay out of it_

_Scout's honor_

_Good _Derek placed a kiss on her forehead,_ Now get to school._

When Stiles finally left, Isaac stayed behind and Peter resumed his temper tantrum, "Now that that _sickening_ moment is over, we were robbed, Derek." Peter said, "_Robbed_."

Peter reached and grabbed Derek's shoulder. In response, Derek spun and grabbed the offending arm. His eyes glowed the same yellow as he growled at his uncle, "Oh, that's a new look for you." Peter commented as Derek yanked his hand away.

"Whoa." Isaac commented at the scene, "What happened to your eyes?"

"I don't know." Derek said now more calmly, "But I'm willing to pay to find out."

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Derek shook his head, "I actually wanted to talk about Stiles."

* * *

><p>At Beacon Hills High School Lacrosse Field, "Of course you're still the team captain." Stiles assured Scott. It was another lacrosse placement test and this time Stiles was going to be out on the field with him, "You got your grades up just like Coach told you to, right?"<p>

"Yeah, but he never told me I was back on the team." He informed her, "He just told me to show up at tryouts today."

"We got bigger things to deal with anyway." Stiles told him, "Did you tell Argent yet? Better yet did you tell Allison?"

"Ah." Scott said as he took out his phone, "I texted him, but he hasn't gotten back to me." He told her as he looked at his empty screen.

Stiles gave him a gaping look, "You told him his _sister_ Kate came back from the dead over a _text_?" She asked in an incredulous tone, "Wait, did you do the same thing to Allison?"

Scott gave her a shameful head nod as Stiles raised an eyebrow at him, "I didn't have the money to call France." He reasoned.

Stiles nodded understandingly, "Yeah, you think you got money problems?" She commiserated, "Try paying for an MRI and a stay to Eichen House."

"Another notice?" Scott asked her.

"Yeah, this one said, "Final." And even though I escaped under their watch they don't seem to care." She looked out into the field. There were freshmen all over the place, "Now, what the hell are we even doing here anyway?" She whined to him.

Scott knew what she was really whining for, "I thought Derek told you to stay out of it?"

"Derek should know better already."

"Would it actually kill you to listen to him for once?"

"One of these days it actually might."

Scott gave her an unimpressed look, "Didn't you promise?"

"I gave him the Scout's honor."

There was a beat of silence, "You never _stayed_ in the scouts."

Stiles easily deflected toward him, "We got like a 117 million problems, my borderline lying and worrying about our status on the lacrosse team, is not one of them."

Just then a sound of the whistle filled the air and the freshmen recruits started practicing the drills, "It is now." Scott told her as he indicated out onto the field.

Two freshmen were shooting lacrosse balls toward the goal. However, the freshman player occupying the goal hadn't let anything past him during the early morning practice, "Who the hell is that?" Stiles questioned as they both watched as the freshman caught all the balls that were being thrown at him.

"Nice, Liam." One of them congratulated out on the field, "You might just be our first ever freshman captain."

Scott gave Stiles a panicked look, "Okay, maybe we should just practice a little bit." Stiles told him.

* * *

><p>Melissa McCall and a new doctor,Dr. Geyer, were discussing Beacon Hills Hospital's financial troubles, "The nursing staff's already spread too thin." He shared with her as they walked the hospital halls, "I know there's never a good place to make cuts, but this hospital has seen a bizarre amount of damage and the insurance isn't going to cover it. We have to cut back." He informed her as he looked through the sheets.<p>

"Maybe I can pull some money from pediatrics..." She offered. After what happened with the Alpha Pack and then Stiles' possession it didn't come as a surprise that it wasn't going to get covered. She was just glad that Danny had managed to erase the security footage to keep Stiles and the Sheriff from suffering more than necessary.

"Your shift is over." Dr. Geyer informed her, "I'm exhausted just looking at you. Please go home and get some sleep."

"I need to get some dinner first."

"Melissa... It's 7:00am." He noted at the clock behind her.

At that moment, Sean arrived at the Emergency Room door. He pushed it open and left a bloody handprint on the glass and collapsed to the tiled floor.

* * *

><p>Later in the morgue, Melissa and Sheriff Stilinski were examining the body of Sean's mom on the examination table. She suffered deep lacerations across her upper torso, "Now I know why he hasn't spoken a word to the psychologist yet." Melissa told him.<p>

"He's going to be in shock for a while, isn't he?" The Sheriff asked her.

She gave him confirmation nod and looked over at the other three bodies that were still sealed in body bags, "This was his _whole_ family?"

"Mother, father, older brother." Sheriff Stilinski shared with her, "Sean was the youngest. And the only one that got away." He said with a tired sigh, "The question is from what."

"From who," She corrected him and indicated at the wounds, "These wounds weren't caused by claws and fangs. These are deep cuts, a combination of sharp and blunt force trauma."

"That's what the ME said. Some kind of axe." The Sheriff took a deep breath, "I just need to make sure that we didn't have to, uh..."

"Involve Scott and Stiles?"

"Yeah." He agreed with her, "If this is everyday homicide instead of the supernatural kind, then maybe we can give them the day off from the world of murder and massacres."

"When do we get a day off?" She joked with him.

* * *

><p>Kira was rushing down the stairs of her home when she ran into her mother in the living room, "Your father's waiting for you outside." Noshiko told her.<p>

"I know, I know!" Kira claimed running around, but she stopped dead in her tracks when something caught her eye, "What is this?" She asked holding a poster in her hands.

"A "For Sale" sign." Her mother told her, "It lets people know your house is for sale."

Mr. Yukimura walked through the door and noticed that Kira had a gaping look on her face and that his wife giving him a 'help me out' look.

"I thought you were going to talk to her." He replied instead. Noshiko rolled her eyes at him and turned her attention back to Kira.

"Kira, we told you this was temporary."

"That was _after_ you told me I was a kitsune," She reminded them, "And was going to have to destroy a dark spirit by stabbing and killing one of the few friends I've made in this town."

"And you didn't have to." Noshiko reminded her, "I call that a win."

"We're not going back to New York." Kira said defiantly.

"And why would we stay?"

"Because... Well..." She struggled, before looking over at her father, "Dad's a very important teacher at the high school."

"In New York, I was a professor at Columbia." He counteracted.

"You'll make new friends." Her mother assured her.

"Not like these." Kira said with some defeat, "You don't know them like I do. Landon, Stiles, Allison, Scott, Micah..."

"And Isaac." Her mother finished her.

"Exactly," Kira said, "I already have a group of supernatural friends. I don't want to have to try and find a new one." With that Kira walked out the front door.

"Sounds like she has found a pack." Mr. Yukimura stated with knowing smile.

"She'll find another one." Noshiko told him as she handed him a new sign.

Just outside the door, "I don't want to find another one." Kira said to the air.

* * *

><p>In the locker room, "Hey, Liam." Stiles said with some fake enthusiasm and Scott by her side, "You want to explain what that was out there?"<p>

"What do you mean?" Liam asked confused as to why he was getting confronted already. In such a hostile manner at that.

"That little display." Stiles explained pointing up and down at him, "Your little circus act."

"What circus act?"

"You caught every shot."

"I was in goal." He reasoned.

"Yeah, but nothing, not a single shot, got past you."

"Yeah, I was the goalie." He said slowly as if she had lost her mind or something, "You guys played this game before?"

"You're a freshman, right?" Scott asked trying to ease the tense he could sense forming between Stiles and the new player.

"Yeah."

"But you weren't here last semester." Stiles stated.

"I transferred from Devenford Prep."

"You _transferred_?" Scott questioned. Scott had been listening to Liam's heart rate and realized he was lying.

"Yeah."

"No, you got kicked out, didn't you?" Scott guessed.

"All right." Liam slammed his locker shut, "Look! Kicked out or transferred, what do you guys care? I came here to play lacrosse. The team could use a few good players, right?"

"No." Stiles said quickly, "No, we don't need any more good players."

"Actually, we could sort of use a couple." Scott told her and Stiles gave him a gaped look.

"Okay, how'd you get this good?" She asked him, "Have you always been this good?" She started to bombard Liam with all types of questions, "Or did it suddenly happen just once overnight." Liam's face turned into confusion, but she kept on going, "Have you ever been out in the middle of the woods during the night of a full..."

Scott's face realized just how exact Stiles questions were, "Stiles." Scott said in a tone that clearly oozed 'knock it off'.

"I learned from my stepfather, all right?" Liam told her,"He made team captain when he was a sophomore. Like you." He looked over at Scott. He then turned his attention back to Stiles, "And yeah... I guess I'm just that good."

With that being said Liam walked away, "He wasn't lying that time." Scott told her in an impressed tone.

* * *

><p>When Micah entered his math class, he noticed a series of complicated algebra equations on the board, and slowly backed his way out the room and turned the corner. He doesn't get far as both Stiles and Isaac escorted him right back to class practically pushing him forward.<p>

"I hate math." He protested to them, "It's pointless."

"It's school." Stiles told him, "School is important and math is essential."

Stiles took her place beside Isaac who sat behind Landon while Landon and Micah both sat in front of the class.

"To what?"

"Knowing how much to tip at restaurants." Isaac offered. He was attempting to try and be nice and noticed the smug smile Landon wore on his face.

"And other less important things like medicine, economics, engineering..." Landon listed sarcastically.

"Tipping." Stiles said with a smile and Landon rolled his eyes at her.

As the class began, the teacher, Ms. Flemming, called people up the board to work out the math problems that were still on the board, "All right, volunteers to the board. Landon, Diego, Micah."

"Um... I didn't volunteer." Micah told her trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"You did now." She told him, "To the board."

Micah turned to Stiles who gave him a thumbs-up and he growled at her. This doesn't surprise Stiles at all and Isaac made a low growling sound back at him, to which Micah responded just as aggressive.

"Guys," Stiles whispered between the two of them, "We do not need another supernatural showdown in this school."

"Maybe he should go back to the woods." Isaac snapped not breaking eye contact from Micah.

"Isaac!" Stiles whispered at him, "Remember what we said."

"I said nothing." Isaac reminded her, this time looking at her, "You did all the talking." He sat back and just stared up ahead at the board.

Stiles released a tired sigh and urged Micah to the board. One way or another she was determined to find a way for the werewolf and werecoyote to at least tolerate each other.

At the board Micah was struggling with answering his math problem, "Did you go over the notes I gave you?" Landon whispered to Micah noticing the struggle he was having.

"I didn't understand them."

Landon looked behind him to make sure Ms. Flemming wasn't looking, "X equals 25." He whispered to him. Micah wrote down the answer and Landon noticed that Micah's hands weren't hands anymore, "And put away the claws." He whispered as he finished his problem.

At 11:22 AM, Stiles received a "Beacon Hills News Alert" on her phone. It read "_Triple homicide, developing…"_

* * *

><p>Stiles immediately shared this information with Scott and Kira, "An axe murderer?" Kira asked her.<p>

"A _family_ murdering axe murderer." She told her.

"I already heard about it." Scott confessed to them.

"Wait. What?" She asked him, "You did? How?"

"My mom called me." Scott confessed even more, "She knew we'd see it on the news."

"Perfect. Let's go." Stiles commanded as she turned around ready to leave the campus.

"Whoa, whoa." Scott said as he grabbed her by the arm, "We've got Econ in five minutes."

"All right." Stiles said to him, clapping her hands together, "Did you _forget_ the part about the family murdering axe murderer?"

"Did you forget that your dad's the sheriff?" Scott countered back at her, "They want us to stay out of it."

Stiles looked over at Kira for some help, but even the Kitsune seemed to be against her, "Are you guys _kidding_ me?" She questioned them, "There's a family murdering axe murderer and we're not going to do anything about it?"

"Maybe we should just let the _adults_ handle it." Kira offered to her.

"So two of you, you just want to stay here, school, to go to class." Stiles questioned them. Both Scott and Kira remained silent, "Never heard anything so _irresponsible_ in my life." She voiced with mild irritation as she walked away from them.

"See you at tryouts?" Scott questioned after her. Stiles just made an irritated gesture in response.

"She's been very tense lately." Kira commented to Scott as Stiles disappeared around the corner.

"Yeah, well Derek told her to stay out the Kate thing and for once i think she's actually trying listening to him."

"Did you tell Chris and Allison?"

"I texted them." He responded meekly.

Kira gave him a blank stare and without a word pulled the Alpha along to their class.

* * *

><p>In a dark room, the man with no mouth (The Mute) was sitting in front of a computer screen. He removed a small metal plug or stopper from a hole in the side of his neck, breath sounds come from the opening. He then stuck a tube into the hole and a dark, viscous liquid began to run down the tube and up into him. He swallowed loudly as the fluid was pumped into his throat.<p>

On the screen a complex array of code scrolls endlessly.

* * *

><p>At the Sheriff's Station, "I said I don't want anyone else on site." Sheriff Stilinski said getting at Deputy Parrish, "Review the photos. And don't blame me for the nightmares."<p>

"But Sheriff, don't you feel like we're missing something?"

"Yeah. And that's why Agent McCall is bringing in an expert from Quantico who deals with exactly this kind of thing."

"You mean the US Marshal?" Parrish asked him.

"What US Marshal?"

Inside the station at the information desk, Deputy Parrish sees Braeden flashing a Marshal's badge as she collected a copy of the case file.

* * *

><p>Scott and Stiles were now in the locker room now getting ready for another day of lacrosse. Scott could still sense the tension that Stiles had on her face, "You okay?" He asked her as she pulled on her lacrosse number 24 jersey.<p>

"I'm fine." She told him.

"You don't seem fine."

"Would you be if some psycho came back from the dead?" Scott gave her an eyebrow raise. "Shut up you know what I mean."

"I could try again with Allison and Chris." He offered to her.

"Scott," She started before she took a heavy breath, "Just no with the texts." Stiles told him, "I'm sure they are on their way as soon as possible."

In that moment, Coach Finstock blew his whistle and the lacrosse team players and the recruits all gathered around.

"As a reminder, it's an open tryout today." Coach Finstock announced, "All positions available. This is a rebuilding season, people. Jackson's gone, Lahey's out for the season..." He look at Stiles for a brief moment and Stiles didn't miss the look either.

**FLASHBACK**

"Wait," Coach says in his office, "What? When did this happen?"

"Remember when Stiles kept disappearing?" Isaac asks easily.

"She wasn't the only one that kept disappearing." Coach reminds him. "Wait is that why the two of you were-"

"Yes, Coach." Stiles inputs, "Isaac and I were-"

"Stop right there," Coach points at her, "I don't want to hear it. I'm just trying to understand as to why we are having this conversation."

"Because she and I agreed that it wouldn't be healthy for our relationship." Isaac tells him, "Besides if anything, I would be too worried about Stiles getting hurt than actually focusing on the game."

"You realize this makes absolute zero sense. The two of you are on the same team for crying out loud."

"That's what I told him," Stiles chimes in.

"But we are on different positions." Isaac counters.

"I can always put the two of you on the same position."

"If anything that'll just make it worse." Stiles tells him, "Isaac is very protective. He won't protect goal." Isaac puts his arm around Stiles shoulder as they both exchange loving smiles much to Coach's dismay.

"Besides I've played long enough." Issac reasons with him, "I figure I'd try and take this semester off at least." Coach glares at Isaac intensely, "You'll have freshmen coming in this season," Isaac reminds him, "Won't be too bad."

Coach glares at the pair, not sure wither they are giving him a lie or trying to kill him slowly and painfully, "Fine, but just so we're clear Lahey, if necessary I will yank your ass from the stands."

"Understood." Isaac agrees.

Once they left Coach's office, "That went well." Isaac comments as he and Stiles continue to walk out the building.

"Agreed." Stiles says, "I just can't believe he bought it."

**END FLASHBACK**

Coach Finstock continued his on rant, "Greenberg, the one guy I actually wanted gone... Was held back. _Again_. Get your asses on the field."

As the team headed out, Scott walked up to Coach with some hesitation, "Hey, Coach... I just wanted to ask if... I was still... If I'm... You know..." He didn't actually want to say the word.

"You're on the team, McCall." Coach assured him.

"But... But am I... Everything that I was on the team before?" Scott asked unsure.

"All positions are open." He told him. Nearby Liam was close listening to the entire exchange.

The players were now running across the field as Coach stood on the sidelines with a stopwatch. Of course Coach was making all kinds of remarks as they players ran past him, "Terrible." He commented as one group passed him, "Horrifying." He stated as another one passed, "Pathetic." When two players ran by, "Unbelievably pathetic." He ranted as three more rushed passed. He looked up at his clipboard, "Is that everyone?" He questioned just as Stiles came in last place clearly out of breath, "Yep, that's everyone."

Stiles was struggling to breathe as Scott came to her aid, "I got you." Scott told her as he helped support her.

"Who came in first?" She asked and Scott tilted his head over at Liam, who the only person doing push-ups in the middle of a pile of tired lacrosse players, "He isn't human." She commented to Scott, "What is he? Like a Were-Cheetah?" She joked as Scott looked at Liam with impression, "Does it even exist? Is that a thing?"

"I think he's just good." Scott claimed reciting what Liam had said earlier, "Are you okay?"

"Totally golden here."

"You look like shit."

"Wow thanks," She told him in between breaths and started shaking her head, "I'm gonna puke," Stiles confessed toward him, "Take me somewhere." Scott laughed as he pulled Stiles off to the side of the field.

* * *

><p>Micah, Kira, and Isaac were in the stands watching the lacrosse tryouts. Kira and Isaac were watching the practice intensely, while Micah was working on homework, but he was distracted by a smell in the air, "What's wrong with you?" Micah asked as he noticed that Isaac was incredibly focused.<p>

"Nothing." Isaac told him.

"You reek of anxiety." He pointed out to Isaac as he sniffed the air, "And it's distracting. What's going on?"

"He's just worried about Stiles." Kira told Micah. She had a lacrosse stick in her hand and was playing around with it.

"But she's fine," Micah noted, "I mean, it's that what Deaton said once Derek gets back she'll be okay?"

"Something is going on with Derek," Isaac told them, "He just wants to make sure it's not effecting her as well."

"And he doesn't want her to know nor get involved."

"Look at you already learning how the two of them work." Isaac told him.

* * *

><p>Scott and Stiles were now on the sideline as they watched the other players take shots at the goalie. They both had been sucking while Liam was still taking over the entire practice, "You know, maybe he's only good in goal." She suggested to Scott, "You know, just totally useless on the rest of the field."<p>

When it was Liam's turn to take a strike at the goalie the ball went right through the net, "Yes!" Coach shouted with some enthusiasm.

"Or maybe he's just perfect at everything." Stiles said with high irritation, "I hate this kid!"

"You don't have to hate him." Scott reminded her, "The team needs new players."

"What about a new team captain?" Stiles shot at him. Scott looked slightly offended, but he knew Stiles was right.

When it was his turn, Scott managed to shoot the ball pass the goal. As in right pass the goal that the goalie didn't even bother trying to block.

"Nice, McCall." Garrett, the same freshman from before, mocked at Scott.

"Hey, Garrett." Stiles called out getting his attention, "Shut up!" She said in a singsongy voice with a fake smile.

Back on the benches Kira and Isaac continued to look on as Micah went back to working on his homework, "Isn't the captain supposed to be one of the _best_ players on the team?" She asked Isaac, "Or good?"

Back out on the field, "Dude, what is going on with you?" Stiles questioned Scott as they regrouped back together.

"I don't know." Scott told her, "I'm having a _really_ off day."

"Off day? You were _dying_ out there!" She informed him, "I feel _actual_ physical pain watching you." She remarked holding a hand over her heart.

"I didn't see you make any shots." Scott countered back at her.

"Yes, that is because I'm terrible and Coach still has it in his mind that I'm good just because I won us the championship game." She reminded him, "Scott…You... You are the Alpha."

"Not on the field." Scott told her, "I'm a _human_ on the field."

"Well, human you is kind of sucking at the moment." She snipped at him, which shocked Scott, "Sorry," She said quietly, "So do you think there is any way you can use just like a little _tiny_ bit of wolf power? And maybe I could use a tiny bit of-"

"No," Scott told her quickly, knowing exactly what she was going to say, "It's cheating."

"I know it is! It's just I hate seeing this little freshman come in and steal all your glory after you worked your tushie off." She said to him, "I _hate_ it."

"He's not going to steal all the glory." Scott assured her.

"McCall and Stilinski, grab the long sticks." Coach ordered them, "You're covering goal for two-on-ones." Meaning they have to stop players from advancing toward the goal. Coach then yelled at the other players, "Let's go! Line it up!"

As Stiles and Scott stood as defenders of the goal, "We still don't know if he's a werewolf, too." Stiles told him, "And if he is, he'd just be cheating. And we'd just be cheating the cheater."

"But he's not. I'd know." Scott said remembering how he had to tackle down every player during the kanima incident, "I'd be able to catch a scent or something."

"Maybe you need to get _closer_." Stiles implied remembering the same thing.

"I think I'm about to get my chance." Scott told her as they looked onto the players as they lined up.

"Is it me or have we been getting déjà vu over the past couple of days?" Stiles asked with a smirk.

"I think it's just you." Scott told her.

When Coach finally blew his whistle for the first player to run past Scott and Stiles, the best friends easily get into a rhythm, successfully blocking the player from nearing the goal. Scott and Stiles fist bump each other on their success and continued to do well as they managed to prevent anyone from passing them. Even Coach was proud of them, "That's what I like to see McCall and Stilinski!" Coach shouted at them, "Those two are like my children to me." Coach said to a random a student.

In the stands, Kira and Isaac were both getting into the practice. Isaac was less tense and was now enjoying seeing Scott and Stiles take on all the players and knocking them to the ground, "Yes!" They both shouted together causing Micah to look up from his work just as Liam was about to take his turn.

When it's Liam's turn, he managed to get past both of them. He had managed to fake out Stiles, who unfortunately fell to the ground and was able to twist out of Scott's way and scored in the goal, "That's how you do it!" Coach said with impression, "That's how it's done!"

Of course a certain member of the crowd wasn't exactly happy about what went down, "That was luck!" Micah shouted standing up from the stands. His outburst caught Scott, Stiles, Kira, and Isaac off guard.

"Oh no, Micah." Stiles murmured, "Don't get involved. Isaac stop him."

"Do-over!" Micah continued ranting despite the fact that Isaac was trying to force the werecoyote to sit back down.

"There's no do-overs." Coach said in an unimpressed tone, "This is a practice."

"Ten bucks on Scott and Stiles." Micah claimed with confidence and a smile, even though Isaac finally made him sit.

"I'll take that action." Coach said eagerly, "Hey! Get back in there, Liam."

On his second run, Liam managed to pass Stiles with ease once again, but when he came upon Scott he tried to jump over Scott. However, Scott was ready as he went under Liam and flipped him over. Just like he did to Jackson months ago. And just like Jackson Liam landed on the ground hard.

"Don't move! Don't touch him!" Coach ordered the surrounding members.

"I'm okay, Coach. I'm all right." Liam assured him, but as he tried to stand up, his leg had other plans, "Ahhh! I think it's my leg." He said in obvious pain. Scott and Stiles looked worriedly at each other.

"I think we better get him to the nurse." Stiles told Coach and he quickly agreed. While Scott and Stiles took Liam to the nurse Coach was highly frustrated.

"You guy's take a lap. Run around... Start running around the field! Stupid!" In the midst of his rage Coach picked up a ball and threw it toward the stands. It flew straight at Micah's head, but Kira, on instinct, leaned the stick over and caught it just before it made impact. Isaac and Micah were both shocked along with Coach,

"Oh! Wow! Nice catch. Throw it back." He told her. Kira threw back the ball awkwardly, hitting the Coach right in the breadbasket and knocking the wind out of him.

"Oh, my God." Kira whispered as she witnessed at what she has done.

"Someone ask her if she's ever played lacrosse." Coach groaned trying to recover from the ground, "Lahey you're still on my list, though."

* * *

><p>Deputy Parrish was sitting outside the crime scene at Sean's house going through the case file. It showed the four victims with blood and slash marks all over their bodies. He glanced up at the front door and noticed a figure walking past inside.<p>

He quickly exited the car and entered the house with his gun drawn, "Beacon County Sheriff's Department!" He announced into the house, "This is a crime scene. Show yourself."

From a corner around the stairs, Landon stepped out into the parlor. Deputy Parrish immediately looked at the teen with confusion and Landon just gave him a blank stare.

* * *

><p>At the loft Derek was flipping through the case file Braeden had obtained while Stiles filled him in on what happened at practice.<p>

_So Scott cheated_ Derek concluded once he heard everything.

_Off chance he may have slightly bent the rules _Stiles linked back._ I mean it's not like he did it on purpose._

_Pretty sure that falls under the same category as cheating. Which is something both you and Scott did._

_I didn't do anything. In fact I fell on my face._

_Guilty by association_

_Shut up I already feel bad enough about it. I don't need you rubbing it in my face. _

_Says the one who likes to gloat constantly_

_You're a turd_

_You're just mad 'cause I'm __right_

_Still a turd_

_Now you're being childish_

_Oh bite me_

_And now you're deflecting_

_I'm not speaking to you_

_It's okay. I'll see you later tonight anyway._

Derek smiled to himself as Stiles gave him sarcastic comeback, as he finished reading the file. he noticed that there was something missing about the report, "There's nothing in here about Kate." He told Braeden as he closed the file, "This killer used an axe."

"Actually, he used a military tomahawk." Braeden corrected him.

"That's not in this report." He said, slapping the file down on the table.

"I know." Braeden said plainly.

"Are you going to tell me what else you know?" Derek asked staring at her with an unamused look.

"Not yet." She told him, knowing it would irritate him, "'Cause I don't really know much."

"But you know something." He countered knowingly.

"Maybe." Braeden implied with a shoulder shrug, "The problem is the people I need to talk to right now, don't talk to people like you."

"You want me to wait for you?" Derek questioned not hiding the lack of trust in his tone.

"I want you to trust me." She corrected him looking at him dead in the eyes.

"And why would I trust you?" He countered back, "I don't know anything about you."

"Yeah, well, I know you." She told him pointedly, "And I know what you really want. You want what Kate _stole_ from you." She spoke in a foreign language as Derek continued to give her a dead stare, "It means the true nature of someone is reflected in their eyes. In your case, the _color_ of your eyes."

If anything Derek just stared at her even more before responding, "You get a week."

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"It's almost been a year since we've met." Derek whispered into her ear, "Almost a year-" Just like that the air around seemed to have tightened.

"Hey," Stiles whispered taking a hold of his face, "We've talked about this before."

"We have yet to actually go on a _real_ date." Derek pointed out to her.

"I'm slightly offended that you don't consider that picnic at the train depot a real date."

"Because every girl deserves to make sandwiches for a first date," Derek replied sarcastically, "While worrying about her friend who was attacked by her mate's psycho uncle. "

"There was that date in New York."

"You were being possessed and nearly got ran over. Twice."

"I've told you before if you don't want to do anything around our anniversary it's fine." She gave him a caring look, "The first year is always the toughest, but it'll get easier." She told him softly, "I promise. If not you can totally kill Peter again."

Derek huffed a silent laugh.


	6. Muted(2)

**NOTICE: moving updates to Sundays with both parts added b/c school and work are killing me during the week.**

Landon and Parrish were still in the foyer of the murder home, "I would try to explain it," He told the deputy, "But... I've never gotten a satisfactory explanation myself." Landon told him when Parrish questioned what he was doing there at the crime scene.

"Just an _unusual_ habit of showing up at places where people have been brutally murdered?" Deputy Parrish questioned him.

Landon could hear the implication in his voice, "Are you saying I have a reputation?"

"An unusual one." He confirmed to him, "Maybe you're psychic."

"Don't tell me you believe all that?" He demurred at him.

"I'd like to say I don't believe in anything." Deputy Parrish confessed, "But I keep an open mind. But if you're looking for dead bodies, I think you're a little late." He joked slightly at Landon, but Landon wasn't listening anymore.

In the middle of Parrish's statement, Landon's powers had kick in. He began to hear the whispers and stared at the wall that now had shapes of screaming people in the wood grain of the wainscoting. It reminded Landon just like the night at the hotel during the Darach sacrifices.

Parrish watched silently as Landon randomly pushed on one of the wood panel and it opened. A cold condensation drifted out from behind the wall. Parrish drew his gun as Landon opened the panel further revealing a thick metal door attached to the wood.

They both entered and found themselves between the inner and outer walls of the house in a narrow corridor. At the end of the passage, there was an opening curtained by plastic. They passed through into a very large room.

Parrish flipped on the light and discovered they're in a large freezer with dozens of plastic covered objects hanging from the ceiling, "I think it's a game locker." Deputy Parrish observed as they walked through, "Like venison. Hunting's legal in some parts of the state, but..."

He unzipped one of the plastic bags, "What is that?" Landon questioned.

"It's not venison." Parrish answered. Inside the bag had been a human corpse.

* * *

><p>At hospital, an uneaten plate of peas, carrots, and potatoes sat untouched on a tray in Sean's room. Melissa was checking his pulse, "Are you sure you don't want to eat something?" Melissa with concern in her voice.<p>

"Yes."

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything." She placed an arm on his shoulder, but now Sean was unresponsive, "There's a Deputy standing right outside."

As she emerged from the room, she headed back toward the nurse's station, she stopped only to find Scott, Stiles, and Liam at the Emergency Room counter, "Uh... Hi, Mom." Scott said weakly.

They managed to get Liam a wheelchair and Melissa wheeled him away. "Don't worry, Liam. We'll take good care of you." She assured him.

Both Scott and Stiles watched as Melissa took him way, "I got to get going." Stiles said breaking into Scott's thoughts, "I promised Micah I'd help him study and Derek is supposed to be coming over later."

"Sure." Scott said offhandedly, "I want to check on him anyway."

"Hey, I don't need to say that wasn't your fault, right?" Stiles questioned as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know." Scott stated with the guilt clearly in his voice.

"Scott, you didn't do it on purpose. If you had _more_ wolf power that kid wouldn't be limping," She told him, "He'd be crawling, back to the other half of his body."

"If I hadn't been so worried about being captain he wouldn't be hurt either."

Stiles looked at him with concern, "It's okay to want something for yourself once in a while." Stiles reminded him as she placed another reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Team captain, Alpha werewolf. You're still only human."

* * *

><p>Mrs. Yukimura had put out a buffet in the living room. Everything had been nice and organized, she had made sure of it. The only problem was that the room was empty, "Ken," Noshiko called out to her husband, "Would you please call the real estate agent and ask him why not a single person has come to this open house?"<p>

"I think I know why." He told her as he carried the pieces of what was left of the "For Sale" sign. Noshiko knew there was only one person responsible for it.

Kira was in her room practicing with a lacrosse stick, spinning it like her sword when she heard her mother shout, "Kira!"

She smiled and spun around bringing the stick down effortlessly.

* * *

><p>In Stiles' room, Micah and Stiles were studying math. It was quiet until Micah slammed his book shut with irritation and headed for the window. Stiles made a wave of her hand and caused the window to lock, "We're not finished yet." She told him.<p>

"Yes, we are." Micah countered easily, "And you're not supposed to be doing that."

"Rat me out later." Stile told him in a bored tone, "I promised I'd help you study." She reminded him. Micah made a dreaded sigh and made his way back over to the bed, "What's with all the highlighters?" She asked him.

Throughout the study session, Micah had been doing some highlighting, "Green is for the things I understand." Micah explained, "Yellow, is for "I'm working on it," and... Red means I have no clue." Stiles indicated that all the pages so far had been covered in red, "I am mostly using red."

Stiles realized that was the same system she used with colored string in her detective work when they first were trying to find a way to save Micah. She smiled at the thought, "What are you smiling about?" Micah asked her, but Stiles doesn't get to answer when someone came tapping on her window. Micah gave her a questioning look as Stiles went to the window and saw Derek right outside it.

"Really? I gave you that key for a reason." She reminded him as she opened the window, "Was using the front door that one time that much of an ordeal." She continued ranting while he climbed through.

"Old habits die hard." Derek commented with a small smile, "You must be Micah." He said to the werecoyote still on the bed, "Sorry we weren't properly introduced earlier."

"Derek, I presume." Micah said with a smirk on his face.

"I see you've been rubbing off on him." Derek said to Stiles.

"I do what I can." Stiles said with a smirk.

"What are you guys studying?" Derek asked as he made his way over to the bed. Micah handed him a sheet of paper with notes on it.

"Math."

"Yikes." Derek commented.

"My thoughts exactly," Micah agreed with him, "Why is math impossible for me and easy for you guys?" He asked Stiles.

"Because we use Landon's notes." Stiles informed him.

"Then somebody needs to give me notes on Landon's notes," Micah told Stiles as he handed her a notebook, "Because I don't understand any of this."

"Okay." Stiles flipped through the pages and what she saw confused her a bit, "Um…Landon wrote these?" Stiles asked Micah pointing that the number filled page.

"Yeah." He said confidently, but he noticed the expressions on Stiles' face, "What are they?"

"They're not math." Stiles told him as she continued skimming through more of the pages.

* * *

><p>The new doctor, Dr. Geyer, who was with Melissa early the same morning was checking Liam's ankle, "Okay, just..." He started off, but Liam broke him off.<p>

"It's broken, isn't it?" Liam asked in his hospital bed.

"It's definitely going to need an X-ray." Dr. Geyer told him.

"It's broken." Liam repeated once more in a whisper, "And it's my fault." He looked down at his ankle with heavy disappointment and the doctor could tell that something else was bothering him.

"You want to tell me what happened?" He asked him gently.

"I went up against two juniors." Liam confessed to him, "One of them is captain of the team. And the other already kind of hates me."

"Remember what we always say?" Dr. Geyer questioned him, "Play _smart_, not hard."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not." Dr. Geyer assured him, "Your mom might be mad at me for getting you into lacrosse, but maybe we should both wait for the X-ray before we panic." He advised him, "And trust me... I have more reason to panic than you."

They both laughed at the statement, "It's not over yet. Wait for that X-ray." Liam's stepfather told him.

* * *

><p>Scott had been listening on the outside of Liam's door when he received a phone call, "Hey, Landon."<p>

"Where are you?" Landon asked frantically, "I couldn't call... I couldn't get away from the deputy."

"Okay, slow down..." Scott said as he moved away from the door.

"You need to get to the hospital. You need to get there right now." Landon said to Scott, "The son, the only one who survived... He's there."

"So am I." Scott informed him, "I'm at the hospital too."

"Then find him." Landon said in a shaky breath, "Find Sean Walcott."

* * *

><p>Melissa was making her way into Sean's room, "Sean, are you awake? The Sheriff's on his way, I'm going to need you to wake up."<p>

Melissa did find Sean awake. Only he was covered in blood and on the floor, "I couldn't help it." Sean whispered to her, "I'm so hungry." He cried aloud. Sean had been on the floor eating the intestines of the deputy that had been guarding his room, "I'm just so hungry!"

He looked up at Melissa and revealed shining white eyes and double rows of sharp teeth.

Meanwhile, Scott was on the run to get to Sean's room, but before he could reach the elevators the doors closed on him. Instead of waiting Scott bolted down the hall.

Back in Sean's room, Sean stood up from the floor, "I think I'm ready to talk now." He growled at her.

"No!" Melissa cried out just as she backed away from the room and into the hall. Sean attacked Melissa as she tried to run for safety. However, Sean had managed to grab a hold of her as he dragged her back toward the room, "Leave me alone!" She screamed.

Just when she thought she was done for Melissa heard Scott's growl from the other end of the hall.

Scott managed to run and tackle Sean, knocking him to the ground. They wrestle a bit before Sean got his leg up and kicked Scott off, showing super strength, as Scott flew back and crashed into the wall.

Scott quickly rushed over to shake on his mother, "I'm okay." Melissa told him still shaken up, "I'm all right."

"Are you sure?" Scott asked with some concern.

"Go get that son of a bitch." Melissa told her son in a strong voice.

In response to the command, Scott morphed into his wolf form with a growl and took off.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile Liam had heard Melissa's screams and was now limping out of his room to the deserted hallway.<p>

"I thought I heard someone..." Liam said clearly confused as to why there wasn't anyone around. Liam was about ready to head back to his room when he was confronted by Sean, who still covered in blood and attacked him ruthlessly.

* * *

><p>Scott noticed blood in the stairwell and could hear shouting come from the rooftop. He raced up to the roof to witness Sean holding Liam in a choke hold near the edge of the building.<p>

"Get back!" Sean ordered him.

"Don't." Scott begged him, "You don't need to do this. Whatever it is. Whatever you are, we can help you."

"No, you can't." Sean told him still in distress.

"Let me help you."

"Wendigos don't need help." Sean snapped at him, "We need food!"

During Scott and Sean's conversation Liam was still trying to fight off the Wendigo. He managed to twist out of the choke hold and faced Sean. Seeing that Sean was going to continue to target Liam, Scott leapt several feet in the air and landed near the edge of the roof.

He was too late as Sean threw Liam over the edge and turned to face Scott. Scott knew that Liam was struggling with holding, "Oh God!" Liam cried.

The werewolf shoved Sean aside and moved to save the boy from going over the side of the building. Sean managed to recover and attacked Scott pinning his arms back while Liam struggles to hold onto the ledge.

Liam had begun to slip, without a free hand to help, Scott does the first thing that comes into his mind. He bit down on Liam's arm to keep him from falling.

At that moment, The Mute hatchet Sean in the back killing him.

Not wasting another second, Scott helped Liam scramble up to safety. Liam was now clutching his bleeding arm. Scott looked down at his very visible bite mark.

He didn't look long because he noticed that The Mute was now leaving, but not before he turned his attention back to Scott and gave him the "quiet finger" where his mouth should be.

* * *

><p>"You and Micah seem to be very close." Derek noted to Stiles once Micah had gone home and Stiles had informed Landon of the weird notes.<p>

"I see you have been talking to Isaac." Stiles said without looking at him.

"Maybe."

"He's just uneasy around Micah." Stiles shared with him.

"Apparently he doesn't like him."

"That's an understatement." Stiles scoffed, "They got into a minor growling match in class because Micah growled at me."

"Maybe some folklore are actually true...but he's also doing what I asked him to long ago."

"Which was what?" Stiles asked, "Be my bodyguard or something when you're not around?" Stiles meant it to come across as a joke, but Derek didn't respond, "You can't be serious." Stiles commented when she noticed the silence, "Derek!" She claimed with a foot stomp.

"Call me overprotective." Derek said when Stiles glared at him.

"I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can." Derek said as Stiles moved around, "But with Kate out there can't be too careful."

"You know I could-"

"No."

"You didn't know what I was going to say."

"I know well enough."

Derek could feel the annoyance coming through the link and wordlessly grabbed Stiles by the waist and pulled her in a kiss.

Between the two the bond seemed to tug tightly as if it were trying to stay whole. It was a familiar feeling and their kiss didn't break as they both breathed together completely in sync.

Stiles' breath soon hitched as Derek's kisses left her mouth and were now being trailed from her cheek down to her neck. Derek breathed over a specific spot. The same spot that had been placed there months and months ago. His mating mark. Derek gently bit down causing a small gasp from Stiles, along with a body twitch.

"It's almost been a year since we've met." Derek whispered into her ear, "Almost a year-" Just like that the air seemed to have tightened.

"Hey," Stiles whispered taking a hold of his face, "We've talked about this before."

"We have yet to actually go on a _real_ date." Derek pointed out to her.

"I'm slightly offended that you don't consider that picnic at the train depot a real date."

"Because every girl deserves to make sandwiches for a first date," Derek replied sarcastically, "While worrying about her friend who was attacked by her mate's psycho uncle. "

"There was that date in New York."

"You were being possessed and nearly got ran over. Twice."

"I've told you before if you don't want to do anything around our anniversary it's fine." She gave him a caring look, "The first year is always the toughest, but it'll get easier." She told him softly, "I promise. If not you can totally kill Peter again."

Derek huffed a silent laugh as he looked down at Stiles' left hand that held the promise he made, "I love you."

"I know." Stiles replied with a smirk as she leaned in for another kiss, but before their lips could actually meet, both Stiles and Derek's phone started to ring. Stiles made a groan noise and headbutted him gently, "I knew it. Something just told me we were going to get interrupted."

"You must be psychic." Derek told her with a smirk as they both reached for their respected phones.

"Cute." She deadpanned at him as she looked at the screen, "It's Scott."

"It's your Dad."

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

In the basement, Micah was struggling with his shift. He yanked against the restraints as both Isaac and Kira stayed on guard.

"Just go." Micah told them as he lets out a snarl.

"It's okay." Kira told him. "We're not going anywhere."

"How do you do it, Isaac?" Micah asked he lets out a pained breath, "How do you stay in control? How do you not feel like this?"

Isaac looked as the werecoyote struggled through his chains. The chains that were locked around his wrists just as Isaac's were during the Kanima Incident. Back when he Erica and Boyd were struggling with the moon.

"Find an anchor." Isaac told him as he repeated the same words he was taught so long ago, "Something _meaningful_ to you." Isaac said as he kneel beside Micah, "Bind yourself to it. Keep the human side in control."

"What is it for you?" Micah managed to ask just before he lets out a pained roar.

"My Dad." Isaac told him, Micah looked at him confused, "Our anchors don't always have to be present in our lives." Isaac explained to him, "Sometimes even good memories are enough to keep our human side in control."

XXXX

Define normal." Scott told her. They both shared a laugh, "How are you feeling?"

"The nightmares you mean? Still happen, but have finally stopped being intense on a certain level," Stiles shared with him, "Even though I kind of sent Derek flying across the room by accident, the other night. Not sure what that was about. How about you?" She gestured toward the moon, "With the moon?"

"It still takes a lot of concentration." Scott admitted to her.

"So if something were to distract you…"

"Oh Stiles please don't." He begged when he noticed that mischievous look she was giving him.

"Okay fine." She told him with her hands up in surrender, "I won't do anything." However, Scott could hear the minor blip in her heart just before she sent him into the lake with a simple hand gesture.

Scott came up to the surface with his eyes glowing red, "Dude." He said in a fake outraged tone, "What the hell?"

Stiles ignored her friend's comment about needing a new best friend as she continued to laugh at him, but there was a sound that filled her ears, "Did you just growl at me?" She asked him.

"That wasn't me." Scott told her. They both turned to see Liam conscious and angry struggling out his chains.


	7. The Benefactor(1)

A helicopter, spotlight shining, circled above Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. On the roof, Sheriff Stilinski along with Deputy Parrish and several other officers were cataloging the crime scene. Sean's corpse laid where it had fallen earlier. The Sheriff looked around and directed his attention toward Deputy Parrish, "Hey, let's get everyone off the roof." He ordered him and Deputy Parrish signaled every officer to clear the rooftop, "And see if you can stall the ME for five minutes. I've got an expert of my own coming to take a look."

"You have an expert on _teenage_ cannibals?" Deputy Parrish questioned him with a hint of disbelief.

"Five minutes, Parrish." The Sheriff told him and of course the young deputy left without question.

From out of nowhere, Derek had appeared, "Hey." The Sheriff greeted him, "I know you and Stiles were planning on catching up tonight, but I honestly didn't know who else to call."

"No, its fine," Derek informed him, "She got a call from Scott and I guess it's safe to say it was about this." He looked over the crime scene himself. There was a splatter of blood that led to Sean's body and a gaping wound on the young man's back.

"So much for keeping them out of this," Sheriff Stilinski told him, "But that's another problem to deal with later, Scott said he called himself a wendigo."

"Cannibalistic shape-shifters." Derek shared with him as he looked over the body, "But I haven't heard of them in Beacon Hills for a long time. Must have been well-hidden." But then Derek caught another scent in the air, "How many people did Scott say were up here?"

"Just Sean and the axe-murderer who apparently has no mouth." Sheriff Stilinski supplied tiredly, "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"There was someone else." Derek said as he took another whiff, "Someone young. And male."

"You can smell his fear?"

"And his blood."

* * *

><p>Stiles was now at the McCall residence with a panicked Scott right in front of her, "Like I said, I told my dad everything I could." Stiles told him while she watched him pace back and forth.<p>

"What about Derek?"

"Nothing, because you practically told me nothing."

"You didn't tell you your dad or him about Liam?"

"Again, you barely told _me_ about Liam." She repeated, "What did you do with him anyway?"

"He's upstairs." Isaac said coming into the McCall living room.

Not the answer Stiles was looking for, "Doing what?" Stiles questioned Isaac with some suspicion.

"Laying down."

* * *

><p>Okay, so Isaac wasn't exactly lying when he said Liam was laying down. What he had failed to mention was that he had duct taped Liam's mouth and his entire body and stuck him in the tub.<p>

Which was exactly the scene, Scott and Stiles were looking at as Liam grunted and whimpered from the tub, "So you bit him." Stiles said aloud trying to wrap her head around the situation.

"Yeah."

"And you kidnapped him." She pointed out to him.

"Yeah."

"And brought him _here_." She said slowly, "And Isaac pretty much bound and gagged him."

"We panicked." Isaac reasoned.

"Yeah that's pretty obvious," She said mockingly at the two werewolves, "This isn't going to end with us burying the pieces of his body out in the desert, is it?"

Upon hearing Stiles statement, Liam started to freak out, but couldn't move at all. Stiles pulled back the shower curtain, covering Liam back up and went into Scott's room where they both sat on his bed in sync.

"As a reminder, this is why I _always_ come up with the plans." She told the two werewolves, "Your plans suck." She specifically aimed at Scott.

"I know. Which is why I called you." Scott agreed easily, "So, what do we do?"

* * *

><p>Isaac and Scott moved Liam's body from the tub to Scott's computer chair. Of course, Liam was panicking as to why three people had him now bound to the chair, "Liam, we're going to take the tape off your mouth." Stiles told him in a calm voice, "If you scream, it goes right back on." She said carefully, "If you talk quietly, it stays off. Got it?" Liam gave her a quick head nod, "Okay."<p>

Without waiting another second, Isaac ripped off the duct tape and Liam screamed painfully, "Sorry." Isaac told him.

"Okay, Liam, now you've seen a lot of confusing things tonight." Stiles informed him, "And more confusing things are going to happen because of the confusing things that happened tonight. Do you understand?"

"Not really."

"Good." Stiles told him with approval in her voice, "That's good."

"I don't understand either." Scott shared with Stiles.

"Maybe you should tell him." Isaac told Scott, "You've gone through this before."

"You can't be serious." Scott said knowing exactly what Isaac was talking about.

"He's right Scotty." Stiles admitted agreeing with Isaac, "You should tell him."

"Tell me what?" Liam questioned since they were all too focused on who should be telling him something.

"Liam... What happened to you, what I did to you," Scott struggled as he kneeled to Liam's level, "Which I had to do in order to save you, it's going to change you."

"Unless it kills you." Isaac shared, but he noticed how Stiles gave him a look, "Shouldn't have said that." He realized.

"What?" Liam asked in a small voice. In that moment, Liam released a small sniffling sound.

"Uh... Uh-oh." Stiles said, "Oh-oh. Is he... Is he crying?"

"Liam, it's okay." Scott assured him, "You're going to be all right."

"You're not going to die." Stiles agreed with him.

"Probably not." Isaac offered.

"Stop it."

"Okay, possibly not." Isaac corrected himself.

"Still not helping."

"Would you just help me untie him?" Scott asked Stiles, they both get to work to untying Liam, but once they were completely done Liam made no muscle movements, "Liam? Are you okay?"

"We're sorry about that." Stiles told him as the boy remained quiet, "We're really sorry."

After a moment, Liam jumped up, grabbed the bottom of the chair and smashed it against Scott who completely collapsed, "Liam, what the hell is your..." Stiles claimed in shock. Liam doesn't respond as he shoved Stiles right into Isaac causing them to be thrown against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asked, recovering since somehow Isaac had managed to prevent her from actually making impact against the wall.

"I'm fine," Isaac grunted, "Just get him."

Liam had managed to run out Scott's door and realized that his ankle (injured during the afternoon's lacrosse tryouts) was now healed. He made it to the end of the hall, when he turned to see Stiles hobbling out of Scott's room.

"Get him!" Stiles ordered when she set her sights on him. Just behind her Scott made his way out the room and the two friends both zoom in on him.

The only warning Liam got was to the two friends yelling and charging at him. And that was how Liam found himself getting body slammed into a wall by the best friends as they managed to grab a hold of him while they all let out screams as they rolled to the bottom of the stairs with painful groaning and a lot of yelling.

But despite the pain Scott and Stiles began to wrestle in the pile trying to hold Liam in place, "Leg! I got him! I got him!" Stiles shouted victoriously, "I got him, I got him!"

"Uh, guys?" Isaac's voice came from upstairs, "You have each other."

Stiles and Scott stopped struggling and noticed that Isaac was right. Somehow, in the middle of their struggle Liam had escaped while Stiles had a grip on Scott's leg while her foot was in his face. They both turned their attention to the opened front door.

"Your plan sucked, too." Scott shot at Stiles.

* * *

><p>The alarm light was flashing at Derek's Loft, but the alarm was not sounding when Peter shut it off, "Derek, you here?" Peter called out into the darkness. He had looked over the case file as well, "Derek!"<p>

Out of nowhere, the air suddenly was filled with a whooshing sound as Peter suddenly had a tomahawk in his chest and he dropped the case file, "Derek..." Peter tried calling out in shallow breaths.

The Mute then stepped out of the darkness, "Don't worry, Peter." The distorted voice told him, "Derek's next."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Stiles was attaching chains and restraints to Micah in her bedroom, "I hate full moons." Micah told her as she tested them out around him wrists.<p>

"It's going to get easier." Stiles assured him, "I promise."

"It better." Micah regarded holding up a restraint that looked ready to snap at any given moment, "Because this isn't going to hold much longer."

"Well, then let's try and make tonight the last time we have to use these." Stiles advised as she continued on tightening, "Besides, we might need them for Liam."

"You guys sure he's going to turn into a werewolf?"

"We're not even sure if he's going to live." Stiles answered instead, "Is that too tight?"

"No."

While Stiles worked to undo the restraints, Derek walked into the bedroom without a shirt on, "So, are you going to tell me why Scott called you last night?" Derek questioned her when he watched her not facing him.

"I know what you're trying to do," Stiles claimed not making eye contact, but remained focused on the restraints, "It's not going to work so you might as well put a shirt on."

For some reason that was the exact moment, "Hey." The Sheriff started to say until he noticed that Micah was in restraints on Stiles' bed and Derek was without a shirt, "Ummm."

This prompted Stiles to turn and see her father's confused expression at what was happening in the bedroom, "This is not what you think at all." She told him even though she was pretty sure she knew what her father was thinking.

"I don't even want to know." The Sheriff in a tired tone before walking away from the scene.

"There is nothing to know," She shouted out to him, "'Cause I just..." She stopped even she realized that he wasn't coming back.

"I don't get it." Micah stated clearly confused as to what had just happened.

"Don't worry about it."

"Are you listening to me?" Derek questioned her. Stiles gave him a serious look before turning her attention back to the restraints she had been working on.

"Put on a shirt and maybe I will."

"Seemed to work last time when you wanted something."

"Actually, I didn't want to do that. You had blood on shirt and you were scaring Danny with it." Stiles reminded him, "Not to mention you were an enemy of the state and was lucky that Danny didn't even recognize you. Also I needed to do it since Danny refused to track down that IP address in the first place. So really a thank you would be in order because had it not been for him, you'd probably still be on the run and probably hiding here."

Derek made a low growling sound, "Maybe I should go." Micah voiced shifting uncomfortably sensing the raising tension that was developing between the couple.

"And go to school looking like that?" Stiles questioned him, "No, you're staying here."

"Stiles, don't ignore me." Derek told her in a tight tone.

"I'm not ignoring you." Stiles countered looking at Micah and not even looking over at Derek, "I'm simply trying to undone these chains before Micah and I go to school."

"You're still struggling with a full moon?" Derek asked Micah, but he doesn't give him a chance to answer as he turned his attention back to Stiles, "Wait why are you-"

"Derek it wouldn't be the first time I had to deal with a supernatural creature struggling with a shift." Stiles told him cutting him off in a bored tone. Stiles could feel the glare Derek was giving her from behind her back and also feel the annoyance he was radiating.

"And there," Stiles chirped proudly once the rest of the restraints came undone, "All free." Micah could still sense Derek's irritation and quickly got away from the brooding man, "Really wish he would use the door." Stiles commented as Micah ducked out the window, "Then again no one does, except Landon."

"Scott bit someone last night."

"Has that been reduced to a statement now?" Stiles responded as she got up to get her school supplies ready, "Because last night felt otherwise, but with you it's kind of hard to tell."

Derek could see that he wasn't going to get any answers, "Stiles." He said in a tone. That same tone he used when she was being difficult. It was the same tone he had been using when she got back from Scott's, but Stiles ignored him and went to sleep.

"Yes, but it's nothing for you to worry about."

"Two shifters, who can't control their shifts." He pointed out to her, "That's plenty to worry about."

"Well, technically three if you want to count Kate."

"Don't be a smartass."

"Not trying to be," Stiles opposed as she stuffed a textbook into her backpack, "It just comes naturally." Stiles noticed the glare Derek was giving her, "Relax, I've done it before I can do it again."

Derek knew Stiles was right. After all, she had helped Scott with his shift all on her own, with the occasionally guidance of Derek, but when he really thought about it Stiles handled it better than any normal person would, "You're right." He found himself saying.

Stiles gave him a shocked look before it was replaced with a smile, "I'm always right." She placed a kiss on his cheek and left.

_And put on a freaking shirt before my dad changes his mind and decides to shoot you after all_

* * *

><p>The school bell had rang as Landon and Kira sat at their chemistry table. Landon had his math notes out on his laptop and Kira couldn't help, but notice how weird that they looked, "These are your math notes?" She questioned, "No wonder Micah's failing."<p>

"Um, some of them are my notes." He told her as he pointed at a formula, "The rest I think might actually be a code." He said in awe.

"But you don't remember writing it?" Kira guessed by the look on his face.

"Not in the slightest." He confirmed, "But considering my drawing of a tree led us to the Nemeton, I should probably figure out what it means before it tries to kill us."

"Maybe it's like the Enigma Code the Allies used." Kira offered, "Remember my dad was a World War II buff? And my mom was, well... In it."

Landon continued to look over his notes and the mix of the code, "I think it's a variation on something called the Vigènere Cipher." Kira gave him a questioning look, "A code in which letters are substituted based on a code word or "key."" He explained.

"Do you know how to crack it?"

Landon's Mom, who sometimes taught at Beacon Hills High School, appeared and dangled a set of keys in front of Landon, "Remember the rules. No more than six people allowed in the lake house. Stay out of the wine. And if anything gets broken, it's getting added to your credit card debt."

"Fine." Landon agreed, taking the keys.

"And lock up the basement." She added in, "From all the scratch marks I found on the walls, it looked like a pack of wild animals got down there."

Landon and Kira both gave uneasy glances at each other.

* * *

><p>Garrett, Violet, and Mason exited the school bus, "I'm not watching another movie on a Friday night." Garret complained to them, "Mason, there's gotta be something going on."<p>

"You remember we're freshmen, right?" Mason reminded him as they walked along the corridor, "We just got off a school bus. We're not exactly gonna be hitting the clubs till 4 a.m."

"Okay." Violet agreed with him, "Movie at your place." She said with a smile as she and Garrett walked away.

Just as Mason was left alone, Liam suddenly appeared beside him panting, "Hey. Liam, why weren't you on the bus?"

"I ran."

"You ran three miles to school?" Mason asked with disbelief.

"Yeah." Liam said, "I just started running."

"So I guess your leg's okay?" Mason gestured, but he also noticed that Liam had a bandage wrapped around his arm, "What happened to your arm?"

Liam had a dizzy spell and noticed Scott watching him from across the quad, "Dude, are you okay?" Mason asked his friend with some concern.

Liam shook his head and Scott somehow managed to disappear within the crowd, "I'll talk to you later." Liam told him, earning a questioning look from Mason, "I gotta get to class."

* * *

><p>Inside the school, Liam was by his locker when he heard a familiar voice, "Liam, hey!" He looked over his shoulder and saw Stiles heading in his direction. He quickly rushed to put everything in his backpack. But just as he was about finished he got cornered by Isaac and Scott.<p>

"We need to talk." Scott told him.

"No, you need to back the hell up, okay?" Liam told him and gestured at Isaac was well, "Both of you."

"Can you just listen for one second. Please?" Scott asked him before he took a breath, "Liam...We're brothers now."

"What?" Liam asked him as if he had lost his mind, Stiles who was standing right beside him gave Scott a "Really?" look.

"Oh, God. That's..." Stiles groaned with a slow head shake knowing full well where exactly Scott was getting his words from.

"What are you talking about?" Liam asked unimpressed, "We just met and you _bit_ me."

"The bite..." Isaac offered to him, "The bite is a gift."

"Okay just stop." Stiles told the two of them, "Please stop." She begged as she turned her attention to Liam with her attitude completely changing, "You," Stiles pointed a finger at him, "We're trying to help you little runt."

"By kidnapping me?"

"Just to clarify, Scott kidnapped you. Okay?" She told him, "Isaac and I aided and abetted."

"Liam, I've gone through this before." Scott tried to tell him, "Something's happening to you. Something big."

Liam just glared at Scott, "Nothing's happening to me." Liam then ripped off the bandage and Scott's bite had healed completely, "Nothing."

With that being said Liam left the trio watching him walk away.

* * *

><p>Sometime later in the school day by the school buses, Landon, Isaac, Micah, Kira, Stiles, and Scott were discussing what to do with Liam, "I'm not sharing my basement." Micah declared with his arms crossed.<p>

"Actually, it's my basement." Landon corrected him, "And my mom noticed how you _tore_ it up last time."

"I'm still learning." Micah said defensively.

"Well learn faster." Isaac advised him in an unfriendly tone.

"Hey hey hey," Stiles intervened interrupting the glaring match Isaac and Micah were having with each other, "We're going to use the boathouse for Liam."

"It's got support beams." Scott told them, "We can chain him to one of them."

"But how do we get him out to the lake house if he doesn't trust us?" Kira questioned them.

"I say if it keeps him from murdering someone we chloroform the little bastard and throw him in the lake." Isaac offered.

"I'm in." Micah approved with a hand raise.

"Glad to see that the two of you can agree on something," Stiles told the were-creatures, "But we're not killing or kidnapping him."

"Then let's be smarter." Landon told them with a brief moment of silence, "We tell him there's a party and invite him."

"So, you're going to ask out a freshman?" Stiles questioned incredulity.

"No, I'm done with teenage boys." Landon said in disinterested tone, "But, if we're playing a _trick_ on someone, we'll have to use the _trickster_."

Landon gave Kira a side-eye look. Kira looked from Landon along with everyone else staring right at her, "Who? Me?" She questioned noticing the looks, "No way. Not me."

"Yes, you." Landon said with a smirk, "You know what they call a female fox?" But Landon doesn't wait for an answer, "A vixen."

"Me?"

"You can do it, Kira." Landon assured her with another smirk, "Be a vixen."

* * *

><p>Mason and Liam were walking in the school halls when Kira suddenly appeared from the top of the stair. Liam immediately caught sight of Kira as Mason's words began to drift into the background.<p>

Kira caught sight of Liam staring at her and in slow motion, Kira sexily descended the stairs. Liam was obviously smitten with her, but somehow Kira tripped on the last one and fell on her face.

Liam was quick to rush to her aid, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Fine." Kira said easily recovering, "You want to go to a party tonight?" She asked with a flirtatious smile.

* * *

><p>At the loft, Peter has a gaping chest wound, oozing black puss, but was still alive after his encounter with The Mute, "The axe was laced with wolfsbane." Derek explained to him, "I don't know the species so I'm going to have to burn it out."<p>

"I think I can handle a _little_ fire." Peter sassed at him. Wordlessly Derek held up a blow torch (along with slightly amused look on his face) and fired it up, "Ah, hell." Peter muttered just as Derek cornered him onto the table and Peter started to scream.

Once he was recovered, "He said he was after you." Peter told him.

"How does a guy with no mouth say anything?"

"With this." Peter apparently stripped the assailant of his key board speaking device during their fight.

* * *

><p>Kira drove Liam through the woods. The full moon was out. Liam's hearing had become very sensitive and while her car stereo is playing low – he could hear a cacophony, "It's Landon Martin's lake house." Kira explained to him, "Actually, it's his grandmother's lake house. But she's dead, so it's okay." Kira quickly realized how horrible that sounded, "I mean, it's not okay that she's dead. Unless she was in pain."<p>

"Can you turn the music down?" Liam asked once the music was beginning to become too much.

"You want me to turn the music up?" She asked him. Liam noticed that the music was actually playing softly and not as loud as he thought it was.

Liam phone began to buzz, it was a message from Mason, _"Where are you?_

"Who'd you say was coming to this party?" Liam asked her.

"Um... Everyone."

Liam quickly responded back to his friend.

* * *

><p>Scott arrived at the lake house on his motor bike. Landon, Micah, Isaac and Stiles were already waiting, "I just talked to Kira." He told them once he got inside, "She's on her way." He noticed the worried look Stiles was giving him, "She said it's all going fine."<p>

"It's not that. We have to tell you something." Isaac confessed. Scott looked between his best friend and Isaac realizing that they both were wearing the same facial expression, "Stiles asked around about Liam and found out why he got kicked out of his last school."

"This is going to be bad, isn't it?" He asked already dreading the answer he was probably going to get.

"He kind of got into it with one of his teachers. And..." Stiles struggled to find the right words to say, "The kid's got some _serious_ anger issues."

"How serious?"

"Well," Stiles showed him a picture of a car on her phone, "That's his teacher's car." She explained, "_After_ he took a crowbar to it."

The image showed a smashed and dented car with windows busted out and the words _"THIS IS YOUR FAULT" _scratched across the passenger side doors (front and back).

* * *

><p>As they get closer to the lake house, Liam's breathing became labored and Kira looked worried. Once they arrive he seemed to fine, but he was suspicious that there aren't more vehicles there.<p>

"Where is everyone?" Liam asked once they got out of her car.

"They're here." Kira assured him, "It's a small party."

"You said everyone was coming."

"They are. They're late. And we're early." She said quickly as she headed to the front door, "So we better hurry. Yay! Party." She enthused to him, but Liam stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Landon, Scott, Micah, Isaac, and Stiles waiting for him, he turned his attention to Kira, "Sorry." She apologized meekly closing the door.

"What the hell is this?" Liam asked the older students.

"Think of it like an intervention." Stiles offered to him, "You have a problem, Liam."

"And we're the only ones that can help." Scott told him.

* * *

><p>Derek had brought the wrist keyboard (which was attached to a leather glove) to the Sheriff's Station, "I still don't get how this guy has no mouth." The Sheriff wondered aloud, "How can he eat?" He asked Derek.<p>

Derek looked over at the Sheriff and finally realized where Stiles' odd questioning came from, "Peter didn't get a chance to ask." Derek informed him, "He was fighting him off with a tomahawk _buried_ in his chest." He wisecracked.

The Sheriff ignored the wise crack and commented, "But who runs around with a tomahawk?"

Parrish stuck his head in the Sheriff's office they had been occupying, "I carried one for IED removal in Afghanistan." He informed him, "It's military." He looked at the wrist keyboard, "And so is that."

"Do you know what it's used for?"

"Well, this one looks like it's been modified." Parrish shared as he got a better look.

At a nod from Derek, the Sheriff gestured Parrish to come into his office. He closed the door between his office and the bullpen and turned back to Parrish, "Show us."

* * *

><p>"Werewolf?" Liam questioned at Scott and Isaac, "Werecoyote." He stated at Micah, "Reaper." At Landon, "Fox?" He questioned towards Kira.<p>

"Kitsune." She corrected him, "But fox works."

"What are you?" Liam questioned Stiles.

"Uh, for a little while, I was possessed by an evil spirit." She said uneasily, "It was very evil."

"What are you now?"

"Betterish?" She asked/said and looked at the others for help. It was better than saying "A mate to a werewolf" which probably would've lead to more questions than necessary. Because face it, even after a year it still sounded weird.

On the table in front of him, Liam noticed the chains and restraints, "Are those for me?" Liam questioned them.

"No, they're for me." Micah answered as his eyes glowed blue.

Liam immediately stepped back away from the group, "How did you do that?" Liam asked slightly panicked.

"You'll learn." Scott told him, "But first, you need to get through the full moon."

"The moon's already out." Liam told him. Just then Liam could start hearing the sound of a heartbeat and he covered his ears.

"And you're starting to feel something, aren't you?" Scott asked calmly, noticing the reactions.

"I feel like I'm surrounded by a bunch of psychotic nutjobs." Liam said in a struggled breath, "You guys are out of your freaking minds. I don't know how you did that eye thing and I don't care. I'm walking out the door right now! If any of you try to stop me, I swear to God, I'm gonna..."

Liam continued to get angrier and angrier until his hearing was overwhelmed by a scream only he could hear, "What's wrong Liam?" Scott asked him.

"You don't hear that?" Liam asked him.

Just then on the outside, headlights shined through the window, "Did you tell someone about this?" Landon asked him worriedly.

"My friend Mason." Liam told him as he ears was suddenly filled with noises of students arriving to the Lake House, "You said it was a party."

"Who did Mason invite?" Isaac asked just as worried.

"Everyone." Kira said as she peered outside the window.

* * *

><p>Liam's nails shifted into claws and he began to scratch the floor, "The floors!" Landon yelled out to them, "Get him off the floors!" He demanded.<p>

Liam raised up, bared his fangs, growled at Landon and made his way toward Landon, "Stiles!"

Stiles clapped her hands together, just as Liam rushed toward him, and held her hand out.

As expected, Liam rammed right into the force field that surrounded Landon and was knocked back down immediately, "We have to get him to the boathouse." Scott told Stiles as they both rushed to Liam's side.

Then out of nowhere, Micah made a sudden body jerk and fell to the floor, "Micah are you okay?" Kira asked him, but the only response she got was Micah releasing a low roar as he turned her direction, eyes glowing blue.

"Hey... Okay, basement." Stiles stated toward Kira and Isaac, "Now."

Landon quickly realized what happening as he was to be left alone with a horrible situation, "What am I supposed to do with the hordes gathering outside the door?" Landon asked them.

"Landon, who throws the best parties in Beacon Hills?" She asked him from the back door of the house.

"What?" Landon challenged in an offended tone, "Me, _obviously_."

"Okay, then throw a party." She suggested to him as she and Scott rushed Liam to the boathouse while Kira and Isaac took Micah to the basement.

Landon made a dis-pleasured face and made his way to the door. When he opened the door he was faced with Garrett and Mason with large group behind them.

"Hey. Uh, are we in the right place?" Mason asked him. Landon gave him a glare.

"For the party?" Garrett sweated from the look on Landon's face.

Landon forced a grimace-like smile, "Absolutely." The crowd cheered and flooded inside.

* * *

><p>At the station, Parrish had managed to hack into The Mute's keyboard glove device, "Okay, I think I got an IP address."<p>

"That means we can find him, right?" The Sheriff questioned.

"Definitely. Especially if..." Parrish got cut short when the glove made a whirring sound and twitched.

"What was that?" Derek questioned Parrish.

On the keyboard Parrish made some keystrokes, "I think I found a message." He told them. Both Derek and the Sheriff looked onto the computer screen. On the screen there was a jumble of letters and numbers, but one line was easier to read. _D; BENEFACTOR: MONEY __TRANSFERRED_

"Does anyone recognize the handle "Benefactor"?" Deputy Parrish asked them.

"Money transferred." Derek read the screen, "What does that mean?"

"That means this guy is not just a killer." Sheriff Stilinski told them, "He's an assassin."

* * *

><p>Landon's lake house sat on a hill above a lake that was reflecting the full moon. Along side the lake, a small metal boat house sat on the water. Inside, Scott tried to hold a now conscious and snarling Liam back while Stiles fastened the chains to one of the buildings support beams, "Get his hands." Scott directed to her.<p>

It seemed to only work for a short moment, because Liam managed to break free and landed on top of Scott. The two werewolves wrestled until Stiles suddenly attacked Liam from behind with a nearby boat paddle knocking him out cold.

"You were a lot easier to manage." Stiles told him as she helped him up from the floor.

"If I recall correctly I nearly attacked you in the locker room."

"And I stopped you then."

"With a fire extinguisher."

"Stopped you anyway."

"And then there was that time when-"

"Do you really want to do a countdown of all the times you tried to kill me?" Stiles interrupted him, "Because it's honestly nothing compared what I did to you."

A blanket of silence fell over them, "You remember at the hotel during the sacrifices." Scott spoke breaking it, "Almost killed us both."

"That wasn't you." Stiles countered, "Something was inside your head."

"That wasn't you either."

* * *

><p>Micah had managed to calm down a bit as Kira tighten his restraints, "Too tight?"<p>

"Tighter." Micah told her, "You both can leave if you want."

"We're not going anywhere." Kira told him.

"To be honest, I feel safer down here than in a party with fifty freshmen and a very pissed off Landon." Isaac told him.

* * *

><p>Upstairs a delivery man rolled in a keg of beer, "Okay, I didn't order a keg of beer." When he saw the keg and held up the bottle, "Especially not <em>domestic<em>."

"Somebody ordered it." Demarco, apparently, told him, "Are you trying to tell me nobody here wants to drink?"

Landon acquiesced and took the bill, when he noticed that someone placed a glass of wine on her laptop and he started to freak, "This laptop is $2000 and..." He turned to see that Garrett had a bottle of wine in his hand, "That's $400." He said taking the bottle away from him, then Landon looked at the bill he had taken from Demarco, "What's this extra hundred dollars?"

"I call that the "Yes, you do look 21 to me" surcharge." Demarco told him.

Landon relieved an irritated sigh and noticed that Mason was heading upstairs, "Let me get you some cash." He told him as Landon quickly followed Mason upstairs.

"I opened the wine." Garrett told Demarco, "I should probably pay for the keg." He handed the delivery man several bills.

* * *

><p>Stiles and Scott were both sitting at the dock by the boathouse. Liam was still out cold and was now tied up in chains, "He looks so young." Stiles said softly.<p>

"He is." Scott said as they looked over at Liam, "He's only fifteen."

"What are we going to do with him?" Stiles asked facing back to the full moon, "He's not like you were."

"We're going to help him." Scott told her.

"What if he doesn't want our help?

"He will. And why are you suddenly becoming so worried about him?"

"He's your beta, Scott," Stiles reasoned to him, "I think it's becoming a natural thing for me to worry about everyone in this pack."

* * *

><p>In the basement, Micah was struggling with his shift. He yanked against the restraints as both Isaac and Kira stayed on guard.<p>

"Just go." Micah told them as he lets out a snarl.

"It's okay." Kira told him. "We're not going anywhere."

"How do you do it, Isaac?" Micah asked he lets out a pained breath, "How do you stay in control? How do you not feel like this?"

Isaac looked as the werecoyote struggled through his chains. The chains that were locked around his wrists just as Isaac's were during the Kanima Incident. Back when he Erica and Boyd were struggling with the moon.

"Find an anchor." Isaac told him as he repeated the same words he was taught so long ago, "Something _meaningful_ to you." Isaac said as he kneel beside Micah, "Bind yourself to it. Keep the human side in control."

"What is it for you?" Micah managed to ask just before he lets out a pained roar.

"My Dad." Isaac told him, Micah looked at him confused, "Our anchors don't always have to be present in our lives." Isaac explained to him, "Sometimes even good memories are enough to keep our human side in control."

Micah slumped back against the wall as he slowed his breathing and focused. There was a brief moment of silence before he started to slowly transform back into his human form. Micah opened his eyes as they glowed blue, but now he had control.

"You did it." Isaac told him as he loosened the restraints.

Micah then jumped into Isaac's arms, "Thank you." Micah told him.

Isaac was shocked by Micah's reaction, but he also remembered the struggles he had as well. From over his shoulder, he could see Kira giving him an innocent smile just as she had finished texting someone.

* * *

><p>Outside, Demarco returned to his car only to find that he had a flat tire,"Oh, come on. You got to be kidding me." He said aloud into the night, "Son of a bitch. Son of a..."<p>

On his profanity rant, Demarco started to feel the pull of the full moon as he grew claws and his eyes glowed yellow as he grunted and growled. Knowing what was happening he took several breaths and started to chant, "Three things cannot be long hidden. The sun, the moon, the truth." The mantra seemed to help as his claws retracted, "Three things cannot be long hidden. The sun, the moon, the truth." His eyes returned back to normal, "Three things cannot be long hidden. The sun, the moon, the truth."

As he was kneeling, a figure came up behind and looped a chain around his neck. It was pulled tight and as Demarco struggled with his assailant. Had anyone been on the street, they would see that Violet, Garrett's girlfriend, attacking him.

She pulled the chain tight and then pushed a silver brooch attached to it. The chain began to glow and Demarco's neck began to smoke. Within seconds, his head was detached from his body and flopped to the ground. Violet snapped a picture with her cellphone and walked away from the body.

She returned to the Landon's Lake House. The music was playing loud as she refashioned the deadly wire into a necklace and the brooch/button mechanism hangs bolo-like around her neck. She walks up to Garrett who was apparently waiting for her.

"What are you smiling about?" She asked him.

"Our friend just sent me a text." Garrett told her. He showed her his screen with a message from "The Benefactor" that said "_The money has been transferred into your account."_ Violet smiled broadly and they kiss.


	8. The Benefactor(2)

Mason was upstairs in the hallway, "Liam?" He looked down the hall and noticed a door opened, "You up here?" He called out as he wandered into a white room with red accents at the end of the hall. It was decorated sparsely with a bookcase, a couple of chairs, a desk and a record player. "Dude, where the hell are you?" He mumbled to the empty room.

He turned around to leave only to find a very annoyed Landon staring right at him, "What are you doing up here?" Landon questioned him, "The party's downstairs."

"I was looking for Liam."

"Sorry, but missing freshmen are a little low on my priority list." Landon told him in a dismissive tone.

"But not so low you don't know he's a freshman?" Mason questioned back at him.

Landon narrowed his eyes at him, "I might have seen your friend." Landon said pointedly, "Downstairs." Somehow on the way out of the room, Mason had ended up bumping into Landon and the wine Landon held spilled onto the carpet, "Oh, my God, the carpet..." Landon shouted now freaking out, "No, God, no." He fell to the floor and looked at the red stain.

"Hey, it's all right." Mason told him when he noticed that Landon was panicking, "It'll come out." The only thing Landon did was shoot him a glare.

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry." Mason recovered when he realized that it was the wrong thing to say, "Was it valuable?"

"No. That's the problem." Landon claimed automatically, he looked around the room, "Nothing in here's valuable." He gasped before breathing calmly, "We just put the house on the market. It was supposed to be left without a scratch." He lamented with broken strength, "It has to be in perfect condition. We need every penny we can get out of this place."

"Okay, let me go get some club soda and salt." Mason offered. This time Landon gave him a soft look, "Landon, it'll come out." Mason said with assurance, "It will."

"Okay."

Landon stayed behind after Mason left. He continued to stare at the stain as the door seemed to close on it's own shutting out all sound. Landon noticed the sudden silence and got up from the floor and reopened the door and could once again hear the party raging downstairs. Which he thought was really weird, he closed the door and the room was completely silent once more.

"Soundproof?" He wondered aloud, looking over the room. His gaze fell onto the red record player. He walked over and turned it on. The needle raised and found its way to the record before dropping.

A peculiar kind of white noise flowed from the speakers. While listening, Landon could see faces that seem to push through the white wall, mouths opening and closing as if speaking. Landon stared transfixed.

* * *

><p>At the boathouse, Scott and Stiles were still looking out into lake, "What?" Stiles asked when she noticed that Scott was staring at her.<p>

"This kind of remind me of old times." Scott told her. Stiles couldn't help, but laugh at the statement.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." She told him, "We've been through a lot this year and it looks like it's going to continue to happen."

"You're worried about him."

"Everyone is doing a lot of worrying around here." She commented with a shoulder shrug, "I honestly thought things would get back to normal once we got Derek back."

"Define normal." Scott told her. They both shared a laugh, "How are you feeling?"

"The nightmares you mean? Still happen, but have finally stopped being intense on a certain level," Stiles shared with him, "Even though I kind of sent Derek flying across the room by accident, the other night. Not sure what that was about. How about you?" She gestured toward the moon, "With the moon?"

"It still takes a lot of concentration." Scott admitted to her.

"So if something were to distract you…"

"Oh Stiles please don't." He begged when he noticed that mischievous look she was giving him.

"Okay fine." She told him with her hands up in surrender, "I won't do anything." However, Scott could hear the minor blip in her heart just before she sent him into the lake with a simple hand gesture.

Scott came up to the surface with his eyes glowing red, "Dude." He said in a fake outraged tone, "What the hell?"

Stiles ignored Scott's comment about needing a new best friend as she continued to laugh at him, but there was a sound that filled her ears, "Did you just growl at me?" She asked him.

"That wasn't me." Scott told her as he gripped onto the deck and pulled himself up. They both turned to see Liam conscious and angry struggling out his chains.

"Those chains aren't going to hold him." Stiles informed Scott just as Liam busted out of his chains, ran past them, dove through the window, and ran off through the woods.

"I hate it when you're right."

* * *

><p>The Sheriff (with gun drawn) and Derek entered the high school, "You know, just because this guy connected to the school's WiFi, doesn't mean he's still here." Derek told him as they walked down the dark halls.<p>

"True." The Sheriff agreed, "But I've seen enough in this school to keep my gun in hand when walking in after dark." He noticed a large pool of blood seeping under one of the classroom doors, "Like blood."

"That doesn't make sense." Derek stated confused.

"Yeah, no kidding." The Sheriff agreed as they got closer.

Derek shook his head, "That's not what I mean." Sheriff Stilinski looked confused, "I should've caught the scent _before_ we walked in."

They now stood on the outside of the door, "Hold on." Derek whispered to him.

Derek was about ready to open the door, but now he was nervous because something wasn't feeling right, just as he was about to reach for the knob the Sheriff stopped him and Derek gave him a confused look, "You nervous makes me nervous." He told Derek.

They cautiously opened the door and were able to see the knob was attached by a line. Derek followed the line and noticed that it was attached to something inside the classroom, "It's an explosive. A claymore." Derek told him. The pair looked worriedly at each other just as Derek sensed something coming, "Get down!"

Derek grabbed the Sheriff, and threw him to the ground just as a tomahawk sliced through the air and made impact into the wall where his head was.

The Mute appeared from his hiding place on the stairs and came towards them as the Sheriff began to shoot.

* * *

><p>Scott was chasing Liam out in the woods, but Liam was a lot faster than Scott. So it came no surprise to Scott that he had somehow managed to lose the wild beta. Just as he was about to turn back around Liam came up from behind and threw Scott into a tree, "What did you do to me?" Liam demanded angrily.<p>

"Liam..." Scott said trying to calm him down.

"This is your fault." Liam roared at him, "It's all your fault! This is your fault!"

A flash bolt arrow then whooshed through the air as it hits the tree near their heads. Liam was blinded and screamed in pain as he ran off leaving Scott behind.

Scott looked in the direction the arrow came from and sees Allison armed with her crossbow on top of a nearby hill. She walked down the hill and gave him hand to get to his feet.

"How did you know?" Scott asked in awe.

"We got your text." She said with a small smile as she pulled him up.

* * *

><p>At the school, the sheriff had been thrown to the ground as Derek was facing off with the Mute. He was dodging The Mute's tomahawks attacks and managed to disarm him while pinning his arms behind his back.<p>

The Sheriff finally recovered and held up his pistol toward the assassin, "You have the right to remain silent." Even the Mute looked unamused by the line himself, "Anything you say, can and will be used against you in the court of law. You've the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one..."

But just as Sheriff Stilinski was cuffing him, Peter Hale appeared out of nowhere with his eyes glowing blue.

"No, Peter, no!" Derek shouted to his uncle. But Peter didn't pay him any attention. Instead, Peter moved (more like threw) the Sheriff aside and savagely started to rip the Mute into pieces.

Once, Peter was done with his attack he turned to find that Sheriff Stilinski had his pistol leveled at him. Peter gave a small grin and a headshake as he wiped his hands with a handkerchief and walked away.

"We've learned a better way." Derek reminded his uncle.

"I'm a creature of habit." Peter told him plainly as he exited the school.

The Sheriff and Derek exchanged worried glances.

* * *

><p>"There's a clearing just north of here." Allison told Scott as they navigated through the woods, "All you have to do is corral him there. The rest is taken care of."<p>

"What are you going to do?" Scott asked her worriedly.

"He's your Beta, Scott." She reminded him, "The better question is what are _you_ going to do?"

"He won't listen to me."

"He will if you start using your _own_ words." Allison told him sly. Scott looked a bit shocked, "Oh yeah, Stiles told me exactly what you said."

In the distance, they both could hear Liam screaming once more.

"Here." She whispered to him and handed him a remote, "Go."

The trap was a circle of Ultrasonic Emitters. Liam was on his knees in the center as Chris Argent stood by. Scott arrived and turned them off. Liam was no longer transformed, but he was still freaking out as to what was happening with him.

"What's happening to me?" Liam asked him still recovering from the high-pitched sounds.

"The same thing that happened to me." Scott told him and Liam looked up at him helplessly.

* * *

><p>Isaac and Micah stayed in the basement just to ensure that Micah had full control while Kira was now upstairs at the party. "Landon?" She tried the through the music, "Has anyone seen Landon?" But no one was paying her any attention.<p>

Kira made her way upstairs to find Landon still staring at the record player, "Hey. Landon?" She asked softly, "Are you okay?" But she doesn't get a response and quickly realized that Landon was in some of kind of trance. The same trance he got in when he started to hear things, "What do you hear?"

"The key." He said in a monotone voice, "The key to break the code."

* * *

><p>Liam was now crying on the ground, "They can't know about this." He said aloud to them, "My mom, my stepdad, I can't do this to them again."<p>

"What do you mean again?" Scott asked fully concerned.

"I got kicked out of school and I deserved it." Liam shared with him. Scott kneeled down to his level, "The way they looked at me when…they saw what I did to that car..."

"Liam, it's okay." Scott assured him once more.

"They looked at me like I was a monster," Liam said still crying, "They can't see me like this."

"Like a monster?" Scott questioned him. From behind Liam, Allison stood and Scott remembered how he was in the exact same position as Liam, "You're not a monster." Scott told him and Liam looked at him confused, "You're a werewolf. Like me." Scott told him as his eyes flashed the Alpha red.

* * *

><p>The beeping sound continued as Landon now had his laptop. He inputted the keyword "ERICA" and pressed the enter key. A list of names and numbers scrolled down the screen.<p>

SEAN WALCOTT 250

DAVID WALCOTT 250

MICHAEL WALCOTT 250

CHRISTINA WALCOTT 250

LANDON MARTIN 20

SCOTT MCCALL 25

DEMARCO MONTANA 250

DEREK HALE 15

CARRIE HUDSON 500

KAYLEN BETTCHER 250

KIRA YUKIMURA 6

ELIAS TOWN 250

"What is this?" Kira questioned when the names appeared on the screen.

"It's a list of supernaturals in Beacon Hills." Landon pieced together looking over the names and numbers, "It's a dead pool and we're all on it."

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"How do they even know about me?" Kira questioned.

"They know about everyone." Isaac told her, "Except me, which is kind of weird."

"Agreed, but I think Kira's right." Stiles told Scott, "I think we should stop the game."

"I'm not afraid." Scott told her.

"Neither am I." Kira said agreeing with Scott.

"Well, I'm _terrified_." Stiles all, but shouted at the supernatural creatures, the lights around them flickered and they all looked concerned at Stiles. "And I'm not even on the list." She pointed out to them, "Guys, these are _professional_ killers. It's their _profession_." She reminded them, "One of them has got a thermo-cut wire that cuts heads off. Who knows what else they have?"

XXXX

Something's not right." Stiles told them unable to shake off the uneasy feeling, "We're missing something."

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, "He didn't get any of us or Liam."

"I know," She agreed fidgeting, "It's just that if Garrett wanted to get Liam he would've gotten him... he's a professional...they don't miss."


	9. IED(1)

In the dark night,a young girl was running through the Beacon Hills High School Campus. She was bleeding from her shoulder and one of her hands were missing. All that remained was a cauterized and smoking stump. Behind her, Violet pursued casually spinning her "thermo-cut wire" bolo necklace smirking sinisterly.

The girl quickly took refuge inside one of the buses repeating a mantra, "the sun the moon, the truth." As her eyes glowed the beta yellow.

Thanks to her enhanced hearing, she was able to hear Violet nearing closer and stopped chanting and hid. Meanwhile, Violet entered the exact bus and slowly made her way down the aisle with her weapon ready. She remained alert, but with a burst of speed, the girl leapt up, swiping at Violet with her remaining claws, and managed to escape.

She raced across the parking lot, but was stopped short when a truck pulled up in front of her. It was Garrett.

"Get in!" He urged her, but the girl wasn't so sure and was already panicking as it is, "Come on, she's coming, get in!" Upon that statement the girl quickly gets in and suddenly found herself being locked inside the car with him, "Seriously?" Garrett questioned her a bit surprised and disappointed. The girl looked at him with fear, "I can't believe you fell for that."

He doesn't give the girl a chance to fight back as he quickly stabbed her with his knife.

* * *

><p>Stiles Stilinski placed a series of pictures and red lines of tape on her new, improved, see-through Lucite murder board. Scott wasn't surprised to see that she already had the system going up.<p>

"So, the Walcott's were the first." She told the Argents catching them up on the recent events that have been happening, "At least the first that we know about." She admitted and pointed at the family portrait, "Four murders. Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute. Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk."

She pointed at a picture of Peter on the board, "But then The Mute was killed by Peter Hale after he tried to blow up Derek with a Claymore mine." She pointed at another picture of the Mute, "Next was Demarco. He delivered a keg to the party at Landon's lake house. And got decapitated outside his car." She reviewed.

**FLASHBACK**

Chris and Allison Argent, along with Scott McCall are standing to the dead body of Demarco, "Does the scent tell you anything?" Chris asks him.

"Definitely a werewolf." Scott shares with them, "But there's more." He takes another sniff of the air, "I think he was part of a pack." Scott realizes.

"Well, if he was," Allison tells him, "They'll be looking for him."

**END FLASHBACK**

"And then last night," Stiles said as she placed one more picture to the board, "23-year-old Carrie Hudson." It was a picture of the girl from the school.

* * *

><p>Scott and Stiles took everything they have along with the partial list of potential victims, to Sheriff Stilinski in his office. The Sheriff was confused about the list that they had given him, "It's a dead pool. A hit list of supernatural creatures." Scott explained to him, "That's only part of it. The rest still has to be decoded."<p>

"Who found this list?" The Sheriff questioned them.

"Landon." Stiles told him.

"How?"

"He wrote it." Stiles explained, "Actually, he transcribed it." She corrected herself, "Without realizing it."

"Reaper?"

"Reaper."

"Beautiful." The Sheriff commented accepting that as the plausible answer, "All right, what are these numbers next to the names?"

"We're getting to that." Stiles told her father, "First, you need to know that the code was broken with a cipher key."

"Wait." The Sheriff asked now confused, "You mean, like a... Like a key word?"

"It's actually a name."

"Erica." Scott shared with him.

"Her name broke a third of the list." Stiles told him.

"And now we think there's _two_ other cipher keys."

"Which will give us the rest of the names." The Sheriff said with a hint of tiredness, "Okay. So how do we get the cipher keys?"

"Same way we got the code." Stiles informed him.

"Landon." Scott informed, "Him and Allison have been out at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two key words."

_Allison and Landon both have been out at the lake house all weekend, using the record player in the soundproof room, trying to get further messages, but has so far received nothing via his reaper power. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of static._

"You didn't know about Demarco or Carrie." The Sheriff asked Scott, but Scott shook his head, "Hmm? And what about this two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town. Are they werewolves too?"

"I don't know." Scott admitted, "But Deaton said that the Nemeton would draw supernatural _creatures_ here."

"Here being Beacon Hills?" He asked, "Or Beacon _County_?" He pointed out, "The population of Beacon Hills is just under 30,000."

"And dropping..." Stiles inputted.

"But if we're talking Beacon County, then you're looking at close to 500,000." He told them, "Look, how many werewolves, banshees, reapers, kitsunes and whatever the hell else is out there are we talking about?" He started to question them, "And what if the next cipher key uncovers not 12 names but 100?"

"We don't think there would be that many." Stiles stated, "There's a limit."

"Because of the numbers." Scott shared, "We think that once we decode the names, the numbers will add up to 117."

"117 what?" The Sheriff asked them.

"Million."

"117 million dollars, Dad." She repeated to him, "Stolen from the Hale vault and is being used by someone to finance all these murders."

"Someone who wants _every_ supernatural in Beacon Hills dead." Scott shared with them.

"So the coded list goes out." The Sheriff summarized, "And somehow these professional assassins get that list."

"And a cipher key." Stiles included.

"And then they go after the names on the list." Sheriff Stilinski laid out, "They being killers with no mouths, tomahawks, thermo-cut wires that can take your head off."

"Carrie was stabbed." Stiles noted as she looked over the latest crime scene photo. It showed an odd shaped mark around each of the knife wounds, "What's this mark?" She asked at the mark over Carrie's heart.

"We're not sure yet. We're still waiting on the ME's report." He shared with them, "There's one other thing I don't get. How did this new assassin know that Demarco was going to be at the lake house?"

"Everyone knows he delivers kegs to teenagers for a little extra cash." Scott told him.

"So whoever ordered that keg killed Demarco."

"Yeah, it was someone at the party." Stiles said confidently.

"A student." Scott realized.

* * *

><p>At school, Violet pulled her collar over to hide the claw marks inflicted by Carrie during her failed escape, "You all right?" Garrett asked her.<p>

Violet sighed and showed him the marks, "I can handle a scratch or two if I know we're eventually going for the real money." She told him, "The _seven_ figure money."

"We are."

"When?"

"Tonight."

* * *

><p>Kira was at her locker when her father appeared, "It's not that we were wanting to talk to you." Her father told her, "It's that we were wondering if you wanted to talk to us."<p>

"About what?" Kira asked him, trying not to jump to conclusions.

"About something that you forgot to mention?" He implied, noticing how she was clearly avoiding to look at him, "Something important."

This stopped Kira from putting her books in her locker, "How important?"

"Exceptionally."

He knew she realized, "Oh, God. You know?" She asked softly.

"We know."

"Look, I was going to tell you." She rambled out, "We were going to tell you everything. About the dead pool, the assassins, the killings. But I didn't want you to worry."

Mr. Yukimura looked concerned and out of place, "I was talking about you joining the lacrosse team." He held up a lacrosse team #15 jersey.

"Oh." She said with a nervous laugh, "Then never mind." Then she quickly shut her locker and rushed off.

"Dead pool?" Mr. Yukimura questioned to himself.

* * *

><p>Liam was bench pressing 180 pounds in the weight room with Mason, "You know how I keep reminding Garrett to give me back my hoodie?" Mason asked him as he did his own workout.<p>

"Yeah." Liam said as he continued to bench press.

"Well, I remembered you said he lived in that housing development on Spaulding." He shared with him, "So I went there and guess what? The housing development is still in development."

"So?" Liam asked not getting at what Mason was hinting at.

"There are no houses yet. So unless the dude lives in some backhoe, there's something he's not telling us." Mason told him. Then he looked over to Liam who added and additional 90lbs to the barbell and continued pressing, "And then there's this other dude," Mason continued, "Man, he's... He's been acting really strange. Running to school for no reason. Disappearing at parties. Used to be my best friend."

"Uh-huh." Liam responded clearly not paying attention to anything Mason had been saying as he adds an additional 90lbs.

"And he was apparently on steroids." Mason commented.

"What?" Liam questioned him upon hearing Mason's comment.

"You're not actually going to try to lift that, are you?" He asked him, "Are you all right? I mean, is it about the game tonight?"

"I'm fine." Liam assured, "It's just a scrimmage."

"You know who you're playing, right?"

"Yeah." Liam told him, but Mason gave him a look that said he knew better, "I mean, no. I guess I missed the announcement."

"Liam, it's your old school." Mason told him, "Devenford Prep."

* * *

><p>Liam was angry as he entered the locker room. He was breathing heavily as he threw down his gym bag and opened his locker, "What the hell?" He gritted when he noticed a specific object was missing, "Where's my stick?"<p>

He then heard the sound of a stick being scraped along the sides of metal mesh lockers in another part of the room. Derek appeared from the other side of the lockers with a stick in hand, "Is this yours?" Derek asked him casually.

Instead of waiting for Liam to give him an answer Derek did what he did best. He broken the stick into two and threw the pieces on the floor in front of Liam.

Liam gave Derek a glare as Derek simply just stared at him with an uncaring expression. Liam easily wolfs out and sprinted toward him. Before Liam has a chance to strike Derek picked him up by the throat and pinned him to the wall of metal lockers.

Liam continued to growl at him as his eyes glowed yellow, while Derek struggled slightly to keep him in place. From another set of lockers Scott appeared and tried calling out to him, "Liam."

Liam could barely hear him through the rage haze he was in, "You're right." Derek commented, "He is angry."

At Derek's comment, Liam was somehow able to calm down enough to be released, "This one's yours." Scott told Liam as he handed him an undamaged one lacrosse stick.

The school bell rung, "Get to class, Liam." Scott told Liam. Liam gave Derek one glare before he left the locker room. Scott watched Liam until he was gone and switched his attention back to Derek, who apparently was smiling at him, "What are you smiling about?" Scott asked confused.

"You're gonna be good at this." Derek said with some pride in his voice.

"Are you _kidding_?" Scott questioned him, "I am totally _unprepared_." Scott claimed as he placed himself on the locker room bench, "Remember how you said you could teach me a few things? I think, right now I could use a full-on training _manual_."

"I'll tell you one thing." Derek expressed to him as he sat next to him, "That anger he's got? It'll make him strong."

"And dangerous." Scott pointed out.

"Very."

"This was supposed to be the semester I could focus on school again." Scott told him, "But Kate's back. And I've got a Beta. And there's a dead pool."

"If all our names are on that list, then that's what we should be focused on." Derek told him, "Do you think Landon can get that second key?"

"He's working on it."

* * *

><p>Landon, Micah, and Allison were in the art room. Allison stood by the door on guard as Micah and Landon were at an easel. Landon had a pencil hover over the paper, but inspiration wasn't occurring, "Please stop hovering." Landon commented.<p>

"I'm not hovering." Micah said right in his ear, "I'm waiting. Draw something. Write something." He pressed at him, "We need to know who else is on that list."

"You mean, you need to know if you're on the list." Landon corrected in strained tone.

"If someone's coming to take my head off, then, yeah," Micah said, still not moving from his spot, "I'd like to know."

"Can you please just sit down?" Landon asked, "You're making me nervous."

Micah moved away and whispered, "Sorry. Landon."

Landon tried to focus once more, but he couldn't focus because he still felt like someone was hovering right over him again, "What?" He finally snapped and threw the pencil down, "Oh, my God, what?"

He turned to see that it wasn't Micah who was standing behind him, "Maybe we need help." Allison told him a soft tone. She knew that this whole process was starting a toll on her best friend, "From someone just like you."

"Meredith." Landon agreed easily.

* * *

><p>In economic class, "Economic disparity exists in all forms." Coach Finstock explained to the class, "Well, take sports, for example. Some teams have better training facilities. Some have better equipment. Unlike Beacon Hills that can barely afford the duct tape to keep our equipment together."<p>

During the lesson, Stiles was going over the crime scene photos of the most recent murder. So really she wasn't paying attention to anything he had been saying. Coach even noticed and placed himself in front of her desk, where she didn't even look up, however he did notice the pictures, "You know, Stilinski, if I could grade you on how profoundly you disturb me, you'd be an A plus student."

"Thanks, Coach." Stiles automatically still not looking away from the pictures.

Coach tapped the end of the lacrosse stick on the desk, which caused Stiles to look up, only for her eyes to fall attention to the end of the lacrosse stick that had been tapping on her desk, "Put those pictures away." He told her, but instead Stiles grabbed the end of the lacrosse stick, "Stilinski!" He ordered when he tried to take it back, but couldn't because Stiles hadn't let the stick go. She didn't let go until the third tug, "The hell is wrong with you?" Coach demanded, but quickly added, "Don't answer that."

Stiles noticed that the end of the stick matched the shape of around the stab wounds on the latest victim.

* * *

><p>"It's a lacrosse player." Stiles told Scott, Kira, and Isaac later that day in the locker room.<p>

"The killer's on the team." Scott stated understanding the same idea, "This... This is pointless." They had pulling apart all the team's lacrosse sticks looking for the weapon, "Most of the team plays with their own gear." Scott pointed out.

"Maybe instead of trying to find a lacrosse stick with a hidden dagger in it," Kira offered, "We should be trying to get the game canceled?"

"The game's the best way to catch him red-handed." Scott reminded them.

"But what if he's red-handed 'cause his hands are covered in the blood of the person that he just stabbed to death?" Stiles countered, "Which, by the way, could be either of you guys." She reminded Scott and Kira.

"And Stiles can't put a force field around you guys during the game," Isaac reminded them, "There's really no way to protect you guys."

"Or Liam." Scott said as it was starting to sink in, "Well, we don't have the whole list and he could be on it."

"We don't know _anything_ about the list." Stiles countered, "How it's made, how it's updated." Stiles listed with a frustrated sigh, "I mean, who's been out taking a supernatural census anyway?"

"How do they even know about me?" Kira questioned.

"They know about everyone." Isaac told her, "Except me, which is kind of weird."

"Agreed, but I think Kira's right." Stiles told Scott, "I think we should stop the game."

"I'm not afraid." Scott told her.

"Neither am I." Kira said agreeing with Scott.

"Well, I'm _terrified_." Stiles all, but shouted at the supernatural creatures, the lights around them flickered and they all looked concerned at Stiles. "And I'm not even on the list." She continued as if nothing ever happened, "Guys, these are _professional_ killers. It's their _profession_." She reminded them, "One of them has got a thermo-cut wire that cuts heads off. Who knows what else they have?"

* * *

><p>In the Chemistry Classroom, Violet was mixing a yellow powder into an unknown liquid, "That's wolfsbane?" Garret questioned, "I thought it was purple."<p>

"Not this species." She told him, "Which is very rare and very expensive."

"What's that supposed to mean? "Don't screw up"?" Garrett questioned her.

"Don't miss." She corrected him as she pour the mixture onto the end of Garrett's stick knife, "Okay, all you have to do is nick him." She said to him, "It'll work fast. Even on an Alpha."

"We gonna do this again?" Garrett questioned feeling the same argument they've been having coming up.

"I'm just saying I don't know why we're going after a Beta when there's an Alpha on the field." She bemoaned to him.

"Because an entire pack of Alphas went after McCall and he was the one left standing." Garrett reminded her.

"It's a lot of money."

"So is the Beta."

* * *

><p>Landon hung up his phone and turned to Allison and Micah, "Eichen House says Meredith can't have visitors without permission from a family member." He shared with them.<p>

"That's not gonna be easy since her whole family is dead." Allison brought up to them.

"Perfect." Landon mumbled.

"Okay, maybe we go back to the art room?" Micah proposed to them stopping them in the middle of the crowded hall, "Or music room?"

"I'm not plucking piano strings for two hours waiting for some supernatural inspiration." Landon protested with a hint of annoyance.

"Fine." Micah said backing off slightly, "What else do banshees and reapers do?"

"You think I know?" Landon questioned this time snapping at Micah, "I can't just turn this on." He said making a gesture around his face, "I'm _not_ like you guys." He ranted edging closer to the were-coyote, "I don't have claws, or glowing eyes or super senses. I just have _voices_ in my head."

The last was apparently loud enough for the other students in the hall to hear. They turned and stared at Landon. Landon ignored the looks before taking a breath and walking away.

* * *

><p>Of all things that Mason didn't want Liam to see this was one of them, "Liam, wait." Mason called out to his friend who was now heading to the school parking lot. As they were walking their way through the school corridor Mason had noticed that Devenford Prep buses had pulled up at the school.<p>

Sadly, Mason looked a second too long and Liam saw the team unload off the buses and was making his way over there, "What, no, no, no, no. Liam." Mason commented as he watched his friend confront the group.

"Brett!" Liam called out to one of the familiar people in the crowd.

It seemed like the entire group had turned to face Liam, but there was one particular person who seemed slightly amused at being called out on, "Ah, here we go." The boy mumbled to his teammates.

Liam finally made his way over to them, "I just wanted to say..." Liam told Brett as he extended out his hand, "Have a good game." Liam wasn't going to lie it was hard to face his past. Especially after what he did.

Instead of taking Liam's hand, the taller boy simply laughed, "That's cute, Liam. Is that what they told you to say in Anger Management?" Brett mocked at him, "Apologize and everything's fine? You _demolished_ Coach's car."

"I paid for it." Liam countered putting his hand down.

"Yeah, you're going to pay for it." Brett responded in a very low tone, "We're gonna break you in half out there." He threatened him, "And it's gonna be all your fault."

Scott, Stiles, and Isaac were watching the confrontation that was going on between Liam and Brett. While watching Isaac noticed that Liam was clutching his fists so tightly that blood began to drip from between his white knuckles, "Oh, shit." Isaac commented. Scott noticed too and pulled Stiles along as they rushed over to Liam.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Scott whispered to Liam as he and Isaac pulled the boy back, "Let's go." Isaac and Scott rushed Liam away while Stiles was stuck with the group of prep students looking right at her.

"Hey, what's going on prep students?" She chatted easily, "Welcome to our little _public_ high school. How you doing?" She extended her hand out to Brett, who just stared at her, "That's a firm handshake you got there." She commented easily before pulling her hand back and gave off a nervous laugh, "Uh, we're very excited for scrimmage tonight. Uh, but let's keep it clean, all right?" She chirped, "No rough stuff out there." The only thing Brett and the other players did was stare at her, "All right, see you on the field."

* * *

><p>Isaac and Scott crammed Liam into the running shower as he snapped his fangs and roared at them. The shower seemed to be working slowly, but surely, "Okay, you calm yet?" Isaac asked him. Liam released another roar out of rage, but had managed to calm himself down.<p>

While Liam continued panting to get back to normal, Scott kneeled onto the locker room floor, "That car you smashed." Scott said, knowing that Liam had left out an important detail, "I thought you said that was your teacher's."

"He was also my Coach." Liam admitted, "He benched me for the _entire_ season."

"What did you do?"

"I got a couple of red cards."

"Just a couple?" Isaac questioned with heavy doubt.

Scott felt the same way. Liam was hiding something else and they needed to figure out what it was before he actually ends up wolfing-out on someone, "You gotta be honest with us." Scott urged him, "What else happened?"

"Nothing." Liam said almost helplessly, "I got kicked out of school and they sent me to a psychologist for evaluation."

"What did they call it?" Stiles asked when she finally made into the locker room.

"Intermittent Explosive Disorder."

"I.E.D?" She questioned, "You're _literally_ an I.E.D?" Liam gave her a head nod, "That's great. That's great." She turned her attention to Scott, "You gave powers to a _walking_ time bomb."

Scott ignored Stiles' remark and stayed focused on Liam, "Did they give you anything for it?"

"Risperdal." Liam shared to him only to get a confused look from Scott, "It's an antipsychotic."

"Oh, this just gets better." Stiles muttered in disbelief.

"But I don't take it."

"Obviously." Isaac pointed out to him.

"I can't play lacrosse on it." Liam explained to them, "It makes me too tired."

Scott realized that things just got a lot more complicated, "Okay. I think you should bail out of the game." Scott told him, "Tell Coach your leg is still hurting."

"No, no! I can do this." Liam refused and pleaded, "Especially if you're there." He looked helplessly at Scott.

"Liam, it's not just about the game." Isaac told him, "We think whoever killed Demarco might be on our team."

"Who's Demarco?"

"The one who brought the beer to the party." Stiles reminded him, "The guy who was beheaded."

"We think the person who ordered the keg killed Demarco." Scott told him and he noticed that Liam's face fell, "Liam? What, you know something?"

"I don't know who ordered the keg." Liam shared with them, "But I know who paid for it. It was Garrett."

* * *

><p>Scott and Stiles had filled in Kira and Micah on what they had found on by the time the scrimmage was about to begin. Kira, Scott, Stiles, Isaac, and Micah were standing by the sidelines. Scott, Kira, and Stiles were already in their lacrosse gear, "Shouldn't we do something now?" Micah questioned them as they all watched Garrett warming up.<p>

"I mean, we can't." Scott told them, "We're still not really sure if it's really him. And if we're wrong, then the real assassin gets away."

Kira lets out a shaken sigh, "Nervous?" Isaac asked her.

"About someone trying to kill us?" Kira questioned, "Or about playing my first game?"

"Both?" He offered.

"Definitely both." Kira told him.

While the others were trying to figure how to keep an eye on Liam and Garrett, Stiles was talking to the one person who wasn't at the scrimmage yet, "Dad, you're supposed to be here." Stiles reminded him, "Where the hell are you?"

"I'm leaving now." The Sheriff said. He was still at the Sheriff's station, "And this conversation isn't getting me there any quicker." He inputted just before he hung up on her.

Stiles just groaned at her phone and turned to the pack, "Dad's on his way." She shared with them.

"What about Derek?" Scott asked, but knowing full well that Stiles purposefully didn't tell him that there was an assassin on the team.

"He's with Argent dealing with the Kate situation." Stiles replied completely side-stepping Scott's real question.

"You didn't tell him." Micah said outing her out.

"No," Stiles admitted, "But we have important things to worry about at this point." She looked up into the stands and noticed that two other specific people were missing, "Like, where the hell are Allison and Landon?"

* * *

><p>The Sheriff was just about to leave his office when Deputy Parrish came in, "Sheriff, I know you're in a hurry, but I was out on patrol and I found someone walking from the coast to the High School."<p>

That was really unusual, "That's gotta be at least 15 miles." Sheriff commented.

"She was pretty determined." The deputy told him. The Sheriff took a breath to see what exactly his deputy was talking about.

Outside on the bench in the station sat Meredith, "I'm looking for Landon." She told him.

* * *

><p>Liam and Mason were talking about Brett, while Liam was still putting on his lacrosse gear, "I don't care if he's a foot taller than me." Liam ranted to him, "I think I can take him."<p>

"Yeah." Mason responded in a monotone voice. He wasn't paying any attention and was staring at their enemy from down the field.

"What do you think you're doing?" Liam asked realizing that Mason was indeed checking out Brett on the other side of the field.

"What? Me?" Mason scoffed, "Agreeing with you." Mason told him, "I'm being agreeable." Then Brett suddenly took his shirt off.

"You think he's hot, don't you?" Liam accused him.

"No! No. Not at all. No way!" Mason denied easily, but then Brett looked over at them, gave them a small grin, and Mason quickly added, "Maybe. Yeah, maybe a little."

"He wants to destroy me." Liam reminded him.

"I think you could _definitely_ take him." Mason said with assurance, "And then give him to me."

The two friends share a laugh just as Coach appeared right beside them, "No, no just go out there and kick their smug prep school asses." Coach told Liam.

"All right." Liam agreed.

* * *

><p>Derek was showing Chris Argent the vault under the school. Chris seemed surprised, "She was here for this." Derek told him as he held up the triskelion disc, "We use it to teach young Betas how to control the shifts on a full moon."<p>

"Control was never one of Kate's strengths." Chris commented as he looked around the vault.

"You knew she was alive, didn't you?" Derek asked sensing some uneasiness coming off the Argent.

"Not for certain." Chris confessed, "But I've been searching ever since you handed me the shotgun shells."

"I thought those were all yours."

"Some of them weren't."

**FLASHBACK**

"Just be happy it's the only thing she took." Chris tells Derek wearily, once they have the twins at the loft.

When Derek hands Chris the shells he notices marks surrounding the metal rim and primer and is able to recognize some of them, but is slightly confused at the same time. Before he can say anything his phones rings.

**END FLASHBACK**

"Why didn't you say anything?" Derek questioned him.

"Because Stiles needed you." Chris answered easily.

"What are you gonna do when you find her?" Derek asked him after a moment of silence.

"There's a place I can take her." Chris shared with him as he put down a dinosaur skeleton.

"You saying you have some kind of werewolf jail?"

"Something like that."

"She won't go quietly." Derek pointed out to him.

"I don't expect her to." Chris admitted, "And I'll do what's necessary."

Derek could practically feel the promise that Chris was giving to him. The assurance that he too going to stop his sister by any means necessary.

Derek lets out a dreaded sigh, "What if I asked you not to?" This earned him a questioning look from Chris, "She took something from me." He told him, "At first, I just thought it was a part of my past." His eyes glowed the beta yellow and Chris looked shocked.

"I started to lose something else." Derek continued, "My sense of smell." Derek's mind flashed back to the night at the school with the Sheriff and seeing the blood on the floor. He even remembered the minor struggle he had with handling Liam in the locker room, "I'm losing my power." As if to make a point Derek lets his eyes glow the beta yellow only the color seemed faint.

"That's not the only thing is it?" Chris questioned him.

"No."

**FLASHBACK**

Derek and Peter are staring at multiple maps of Beacon Hills in hopes to finding any possible hiding spots that Kate could be. It has been day five of the search and they have yet to find anything. The Sheriff was also working another night shift, which is the reason why Stiles is sleeping at the loft instead of the comfort of her own home.

They've checked the old train station that Derek had stayed at before, but had turned up with nothing. It was really starting to irritate him that they couldn't find Kate. Especially when she was most likely the cause as to why his eyes were yellow.

"Aren't you going to check on that?" Peter questions him, breaking the quietness that has fallen between them.

"Check on what?" Derek asks in an annoyed tone.

"Stiles." Peter states in an obvious tone, looking at Derek suspiciously, "She's floating in midair right now." Derek turns to see that Stiles is indeed floating over the bed, with her arms, head, and legs hanging backwards, "Is that normal?"

"She's having another nightmare." Derek tells him as he walks to over to the bed and gently grabs hold of one of her hands and slowly pulls her toward him. The first time he had tried waking her up she had sent him flying through the hole in the wall. Now the smart thing was to let her sleep and just place her back into the bed, "They have gotten to a point where she can handle them on her own, but there are nights when it gets like this."

"How could you not feel that?"

"Sorry, I've been busy trying to find the woman that murdered our entire family." Derek snaps at him, while laying Stiles back into the bed, "In case you have forgotten she de-aged me and tried to get a hold of the triskeleton."

"Redirect that anger to someone who deserves it," Peter tells him, only for Derek to give him a glare, "I just thought she was supposed to be better with the spark once you got back."

"So I did." Derek says to himself as Stiles turns over to her side, asleep with a red jagged line appearing to run down her back.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>Coach was now ready for the scrimmage to begin, "Let's go! Let's go, come on!" He easily noticed how Scott was yet on the field, "Hey, McCall, I said get your ass out on the field."<p>

"But Coach, his leg's still healing." Scott tried when he noticed that Liam was out on the field, "I don't think he should play."

"He said it's fine."

Scott tried to pull the only card he had, "As Captain, I'm suggesting Liam sit out the game."

The only reaction he got out of Coach was a laugh in the face, "And as, uh, President of the United States, I'm vetoing that suggestion." Coach said easily.

"What if he gets hurt?" Scott questioned him.

They both watched as Brett called, "Hey, Liam! Think fast!" Brett tries to whip a ball at Liam's head, but Liam snatched it out of the air with zero effort.

"Oh, he plays." Coach told Scott just before he blew the whistle for the scrimmage to begin.

Soon the scrimmage had begun and the Devenford prep scored within seconds of the game. However, Kira and Scott were playing offense, while Stiles and Liam were on defense.

"There you go, Liam!" Coach shouted encouragement when Liam had managed to catch other flying ball from entering the goal. However, the prep defense was able to recover quickly and Stiles and Liam weren't exactly prepared, "Liam! Stilinski!" Coach shouted, but unfortunately they both were too late as the player managed to get pass them and shoot the goal.

The players reset quickly as the ball was now in play. This time BHHS was on the offense and Kira and Scott managed to pass the defensive line and were able to help another teammate make a goal.

In the stands both Micah and Isaac watched the game intensely, but were also watching eagerly and cheered with the goal that was made on their team.

In between a small break as everyone readied themselves into positions, "Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?" Kira asked Scott and Stiles.

"Because it usually does." Stiles informed her.

"Kira, you keep an eye on Garrett." Scott told her, "I'll watch out for Liam."

"Yeah, I'm just gonna try to play lacrosse." Stiles shared lightly. Scott and Kira knew what she was getting at.

In the middle of the field Scott tried to reason with Brett, "Brett, I know you guys feel like you owe Liam some payback for what he did but could you just hold off for one night?" He asked the player as they got into the ready position, "Trust me. One night."

"Yeah, I can do that." Brett said easily.

"Really?" Scott asked a bit surprised by the easiness of the answer.

Brett chuckled and easily said, "No."

Then whistle blew and the crowd began to cheer. But just as they started back to playing again a revival team members suddenly began to come after Liam, "Liam!" One shouted just at Liam, while the other one body checked him.

The crowd gasped in shock, "Liam!" Stiles shouted as she made her over to her fallen team member. She helped him up as the players scored another goal.

"That's it." Stiles mumbled.

* * *

><p>Sheriff Stilinski called in Landon with Allison in tow, "I'm aware this is probably about the dead pool, but I can't let her leave the station." He explained to them, "And, in a minute, I'm gonna have to call Eichen House and let them know that she's here." Meredith was in his office looking around.<p>

"Give us an hour." Landon stated.

"You got 15 minutes." The Sheriff informed him and Landon knew that wasn't going to be a lot of time and Allison and him both made their way into the room.

"You called Landon?" Deputy Parrish asked as they watched from the doorframe.

"Yeah."

"Because Meredith asked for him or because of the other thing?" He wondered.

"What other thing?" The Sheriff asked on guard.

"The psychic thing."

The Sheriff was speechless, "You think Landon's psychic?" He asked his deputy.

"Do you?"

"No, I do not." The Sheriff with convection, "I think that he is, uh..." He struggled to find the right word, "Intuitive."

"That's what they used to call psychics." Deputy Parrish told him, "Intuitionists."

"Yeah, and I used to call myself a rational human being." The Sheriff mumbled to himself, "Let's get in there and shut the door."

In the Sheriff's office, Allison and Landon weren't getting anywhere with Meredith, "Didn't Stiles mention that her powers using phones?" Allison whisper to Landon.

Landon handed Meredith his cell phone, but the only things Meredith does is hold the phone doing absolutely nothing, "Meredith, aren't you going to answer it?" He asked her.

Meredith easily leaned towards Landon and Landon followed suit, Meredith whispered, "It's not ringing."

* * *

><p>Stiles was facing another player on the field, "You guys know that anabolic steroids are illegal in the United States?" She cracked at him, "You wear a lot of facial hair for a teenager." She continued to comment on the player, "What are you on? Seriously? HGH? Gamma radiation?"<p>

The distraction she had put up managed to work as the player somehow managed to fall over just the ball was sent their way. She caught it with such ease as the crowd cheered and whipped the ball to Kira.

"Run Kira!" She shouted to the Kitsune, "Run, Kira, run!"

Kira does and was able to run full tilt toward the goal and evaded all defenders in the process, "Pass it! Kira, pass the ball!" Coach shouted from the sidelines, but Kira noticed that she had an opening and flung the ball into the goal.

In the stands both Micah and Isaac cheered along with the rest of the crowd, but there was someone who wasn't too happy about.

"Yukimura! Get over here." Coach yelled at her angrily, "Take a seat. You're benched for the rest of the game."

"What? Why?" She panicked.

"You didn't pass."

"I had an open shot." She tried to reason with him.

"The play was for you to pass." He reminded her, "This is a scrimmage, It's about teamwork, Yukimura." He said sternly, "So, you're benched."

Kira looked helplessly at the others in the stands. While still on the field, Garrett was eyeing Scott, but doesn't make a move.

* * *

><p>At the Sheriff's station time was running out, "Meredith, you came here to help us, remember?" Allison told her.<p>

"You called me." Meredith countered to Landon.

"What do you mean I called you?" Landon asked her.

Meredith whispered, "I heard you."

Deputy Parrish stepped in, "Meredith, can I ask you a question?" Meredith gave him an acknowledging look, "When you need help, when you need to find something, is there someone you reach out to? Maybe someone you call?"

"It depends." Meredith said plainly, "Different people for different things."

"So maybe there's a number that can help us?" He suggested to her, "Someone we can call."

"Yes."

"Would you be okay telling us?" He asked seeing that they were finally getting somewhere.

"Yes." She said automatically, "It's 2, 6, 9, 3."

"Mer, we need a few more numbers." Allison told her.

"No." Meredith dismissed quickly, "That's the number."

"Phone numbers are 10 digits." Allison told her calmly.

"That's the number." Meredith repeated.

"Meredith," Landon tried in a calm tone, "Phone numbers always have 10 digits."

"That's the number."

"Meredith..."

"Landon." The Sheriff called from his spot by the doorway, "Come here."

Landon sighed heavily and made his way to the Sheriff, "I think that's the best we're gonna get." Sheriff Stilinski whispered to him.

"No." Landon said strongly and turned his attention back to Meredith and whispered to himself, "There has to be more."

Landon stormed his way over to the Banshee and slammed his hand on the desk, "What's the rest of it, Meredith?" Landon questioned yelling at the Banshee, "Hmm? Just concentrate!"

"But that's... that's... that's the number." Meredith whispered seemingly frightened.

"Concentrate!" Landon shouted at her. Everyone in the room stood in shock at Landon's behavior. Allison wasn't sure if she should pull the Reaper away from the Banshee.

"That's... That's the number." Meredith said weakly, "That's the number."

"It's okay, sweetheart." Sheriff Stilinski assured her, pulling Landon away, "We're..."

"That's the number!" Meredith suddenly shouted at them.

* * *

><p>Chris was in the weapons cage at his apartment building. He heard a noise and flipped a switch to electrify the metal mesh surrounding him. A figure outside the cage dropped to the floor. Chris drew his weapon and turned to find Severo pointing a gun at him. Araya Calavera then appeared from the darkness, "In Mexico, we just call this a standoff."<p> 


	10. IED(2)

At the game, things were getting intense. During one of the plays, Brett rammed into Liam and flipped him causing him to break his arm. However instead of one player down, both Liam and Brett crashed to ground. The only problem was that Brett stayed down, "Brett, you okay?" Scott asked clearly worried about the other player.

"Okay, back off!" Coach demanded them as Brett groaned in pain, "Back off!"

"How _hard_ did you hit him? Scott asked his beta. They watched the paramedics take Brett off the field on a stretcher.

"I didn't." Liam said panting confused as to what was happening, "He hit me."

"Ow." Stiles commented at Liam's weirdly shaped arm.

"Close your eyes." Scott told him and Liam did as followed, Scott reset Liam's arm with a crack of the bone.

Somehow, Scott's in enhanced hearing kicked in as the sound of Garrett's snick knife clicking back in place filled Scott's ears, "Are you cut?" Scott asked quickly as he searched Liam, "Did Garret cut you?"

"No, no." Liam assured him, "I'm okay."

"Then he missed." Stiles realized, but something wasn't right about it.

"What do you mean?"

"It's you, Liam." Scott told him, "You're the one he's after."

* * *

><p>The Sheriff and Deputy Parrish were preparing to send Meredith back to the home and Landon was drained. Allison was ready to make a call when she noticed the letters on her dialing pad.<p>

"Hey Landon," Allison said showing him her dialing pad, "What if the numbers are actually letters?"

Landon quickly drew out a grid of letters and worked out that the numbers. It only took a second as some of the numbers spelled out BOYD. He quickly typed it into his laptop and a new part of the Dead Pool scrolls out.

KATE ARGENT 12

NOSHIKO YUKIMURA 5

JOANNE MCLAUGHLIN 1

STEVE GRACE 1

TOM HILL 1

BRETT TALBOT 1

"Oh, God..." Landon muttered.

* * *

><p>At the game, Scott and the others (along with Derek) regrouped, "I talked to Coach." Liam informed them, "I'm out for the rest of the game. What are you gonna do?"<p>

"I don't know." Scott admitted as he looked at the others worriedly, "What's wrong?" He asked when he noticed Stiles making her thinking face.

"Something's not right." Stiles told them unable to shake off the uneasy feeling, "We're missing something."

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, "He didn't get any of us or Liam."

"I know," She sighed frustrated, "It's just that if Garrett wanted to get Liam he would've gotten him... he's a professional...they don't miss."

In that exact moment, Isaac received a text from Allison, "Guys." Isaac said getting all their attention, "Landon, just broke another third of the list."

"Am I on it?" Both Micah and Liam asked at the same time.

"No." Isaac told the two and showed the screen to them, "But someone else is."

* * *

><p>In the locker room, the paramedic that helped Brett off the field was down and unmoving. Brett was trying to crawl along the floor, but it seemed his legs were paralyzed. He eyes glowed yellow as he looked up and sees Violet, "What did you do to me?"<p>

"You were cut with a poisoned blade." Violet told him with a smirk, "It was laced with wolfsbane. It won't kill you." She told him as she undid her thermo-wire necklace, "But this will."

"Why?" He questioned, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you're worth a lot of money, Brett." She claimed as she looped the wire around his neck and pulled as it made a sizzling sound.

* * *

><p>Landon was staring at the list when Deputy Parrish suddenly appeared and caused him to jump and shut his laptop, "Sorry, I was just seeing if you guys were okay." He assured them, "You need a ride home?"<p>

"Uh, no." Landon assured him, "We'll be fine."

Once he exited, Landon returned to the rest of the list.

RICHARD BUFFORD 250

JACK MARSLAND 250

JOY WALDROP 250

CHERYL CARLIX 250

JORDAN PARRISH 5

* * *

><p>Scott arrived in the locker room and found the unconscious paramedic. He also Brett still alive with his head attached, but unconscious. As Scott walked farther into the locker room, Violet jumped Scott from behind looping the red hot wire around his neck, "He said we shouldn't try." She said with a chuckle, while Scott struggled against her, "But now I've got you. I got an Alpha." She continued to tug onto the wire.<p>

However while Violet was on her power trip, Scott got his hands between the wire and his neck and pulled back. He easily yanked the wire away and turned with his eyes glowing the Alpha red catching Violet by surprise as he grabbed her around the neck and threw her down rendering her unconscious.

In that moment, Stiles appeared with Derek by her side as the red markings from her neck disappeared.

"We're not doing anything like that again." Stiles chastised him.

Scott gave a weak laugh, "I think you better call your Dad." Scott told her.

* * *

><p>Back in the Argent's weapons cage , "The girl we hired to find Kate hasn't responded in days." Araya told Chris, "You know her, don't you?"<p>

"Braeden."

"Well, maybe your sister got to her." She lamented without having actual remorse, "Maybe killed her. Maybe we should stop hiring other people to do our work." She eyed at Chris, "Maybe we do it ourselves."

However, Chris was unmoved by the woman, "We're hunters, Christopher. All of us." She reminded him, "We follow a code. Severo, what is our code?"

"We hunt those who hunt us."

"Christopher?" She said pleaded at Severo's quick response, "What is our code?" But Chris doesn't answer, she whispered to him, "Say it with me. We hunt those who hunt us." She said strongly, "What is our code? Remind him, Severo."

"We hunt those who hunt us." Severo said.

"Say it, Christopher." Araya said clearly irritated that Chris hadn't repeated the old code, "Say it for your wife, Victoria. Say the code." She shouted at him, "Speak the words. Say it! What is our code?"

"We hunt those who hunt us." Chris said angrily.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"I'm worth five dollars?" He asked in shock and maybe with some offense.

"Try five million." Stiles corrected, holding up the number 5 with her palm.

"I only make 40,000 a year." The deputy shared in shock, "Maybe I should kill myself." He mumbled and looked at the list once more, "I don't get it. Why... Why am I on this?"

"Honestly, that might be a question for another day." Stiles told him, not wanting to explain the whole supernatural ordeal, "Right now, there's still another third of the list we gotta crack."

"We need the third cipher key." Landon told him, "But we need help getting it."

"From who?" Deputy Parrish wondered.

"Meredith."

"The girl from Eichen?" Deputy Parrish questioned them, but mainly at Landon, "The last time you saw her, you almost gave her a nervous breakdown."

Stiles gave Landon a curious look, to which Landon simply pointed out, "Uh... Almost."

XXXX

Are you serious?" Scott questioned them, upon seeing the keyword and Micah's real name.

"Yes," Allison told him worriedly, "We can't let Stiles or Micah see that list."

"How is that going to be possible?" Isaac asked them.

"As far as the Micah issue we can only hope that he doesn't see it," Landon told them, "However, I was able to alter the keyword and placed someone else's name."

Landon then handed over the altered dead pool. Isaac took one look at the fake name that they were going to give Stiles, "Why?"

"Because it couldn't just be anyone's name." Landon explained, "It would have to fit the pattern."

"Guys," Scott told when he caught sight of the name that they were going to give, "This is a _very_ bad idea."


	11. Orphaned(1)

**FLASHBACK**

Kate Argent wakes in the back seat of her car. She still has the Calvera's razor that they forced her to use to kill herself, but that isn't the reason why she is awake. The rain is loudly pounding on the outside of the car, but she notices static playing from the radio she pushes the knob. A cassette tape ejects from the Kenwood deck. The words "PLAY ME" are hand-written in ink on the label. Kate places the tape back in the deck and a cultured radio-announcer voice said the following,

"Eventually settling in a small town in Northern California, this family used their wealth to rebuild the community around them while remaining isolated from it. This was sometimes more a choice than a necessity as not all of their children would become werewolves. The ones that did, these born wolves, had to be trained. They needed to learn control. They had a practice from the training of Betas. The tradition passed out through generations, and involved the use of a sacred object called a Triskelion. Without control... Violence... _Extreme_ violence... Is inevitable."

**END FLASHBACK**

Kate was covered in blood and a amid amid of wrecked motorcycles, burning cars, and torn bodies. One of the Berserkers in her control was holding a bleeding man aloft, "Big fancy guns... Coded death lists... So-called assassins." She commented as she made her way over to the man, while still armed with her shotgun, "And not one of you can answer the simplest question." She stated in an unpleasant tone, "Who's paying the bills?" She cocked her gun, "So I'll ask again. Who is The Benefactor?"

"I swear to God I've never seen him, never spoken to him..." The Assassin cried to her, but Kate gave him a feign look of sympathy.

"I know." She said to him, "See, everybody says the same thing." She explained to the man, "They don't know who he is. Where he is." She spewed in a bored tone, "It's all done electronically. I can't help you." Then her tone changed, "Please, I'm bleeding to death. Please stop, it hurts." She continued ranting in a mocking tone.

"Then what do you want with me?"

"It's been a long time since someone's made me a mix tape." She told him as she held up the tape she found in her car four weeks ago, "You got one too, didn't you?"

"No, no... But I... But I know who did." The Assassin confessed to her, "They look like kids. Like teenagers. They're called The Orphans..." He told her.

Just then one of the not-so-dead bodies suddenly fired a gun into Kate's back. She was shocked, but she recovered and walked over with her shotgun drawn ready to shoot the man, instead she lost control, transformed and clawed the shooter to death. She then turned on the man being held by the Berserker, still transformed out of control, "Wait! Wait! I'll tell you about them." The man begged as she paced her way over to him, "I'll tell you everything. Just wait..." But Kate doesn't give him a chance either and ripped him to shreds too.

* * *

><p>Coach Finstock was blocking the entrance to the locker room, "Guys, back off." He told his team, "You can get your gear tomorrow." He even added, "If anybody sees Garrett, you notify the police immediately. Then tell him he's off the damn team."<p>

Liam was coming from around the corner of the hall when he noticed that Scott was talking to Agent McCall, "Dad, really. I'm okay." Scott assured him.

"I should've been here." Agent McCall countered, "And I said I would be at the games."

"Well, I mean this was just a pre-season scrimmage." Scott pointed out seeing that his dad was clearly beating himself up over it, "I didn't even tell you about it."

"But I promised your mom I'd be around so she could pick up some double shifts at the hospital." He looked at the scene before him, "I should've been here."

"You're here now."

Deputy Parrish walked a handcuffed Violet from the scene, "Jordan Parrish?" She questioned when she noticed his name tag.

"Deputy Parrish." He corrected her and continued escorting her out.

Violet made it a point to eye Scott on her way past with a smirk just as Sheriff Stilinski appeared with an item in the evidence bag, "Sheriff, what is that?" Agent McCall asked pointing at the bag, "Is that the weapon?"

"Yeah." The Sheriff showed him, "It's a thermo-cut wire."

Agent McCall seemed familiar with it, "Parrish, hold up."

Seeing his chance to finally get away Scott walked over to Liam and noticed that he was also alone, "Where's Kira?" Scott asked him.

"She took off." Liam explained, "Stiles told her about Landon cracking the second part of the Dead Pool."

"Her mom's on it." He realized.

"Everyone's on it."

"You're not." Scott reminded him, "And neither is Isaac."

"Not yet." Liam pointed out, "There's still another third, right?"

* * *

><p>Agent McCall was now confronting Violet, "Thermo-cut wire's... a very unusual weapon, Violet." He told her, but Violet remained unfazed by the comment, "Now, we've got a file at the bureau on something similar. Used in over a dozen murders."<p>

"I don't know what you're talking about." Violet said easily, "I just go to school here."

"Maybe we should call your parents then." Agent McCall told her, at the statement Violet made a face twitch, "Oh, no... That's right. You don't have any parents." He said knowingly, "That's why they call you The Orphans." The had a staring match just before Agent McCall signaled for Deputy Parrish to take her away just as Sheriff Stilinski stood by his side, "We need to find her boyfriend, Garrett."

Sheriff Stilinski didn't waste any time getting to Coach Finstock, "Coach, I'm gonna need both their locker numbers." He told the Coach, "And someone find me a set of bolt cutters."

* * *

><p>On the exam table at Beacon Hills Animal Clinic, the Devenford Prep lacrosse player, Brett Talbot was now convulsing and spewing yellow foam from his mouth, "What the hell is happening to this kid?" Stiles questioned.<p>

"He's been poisoned by a rare wolfsbane." Deaton told them, "I need to make an incision and you need to hold him as still as possible." Deaton told both Stiles and Derek.

Stiles and Derek each took a part of Brett's body. Stiles held down one of his arms, while Derek held down the other.

Both Stiles and Derek struggled to keep the lacrosse player from moving, but it was completely useless, "Hey, Derek, how about a _little_ werewolf strength?" Stiles commented while they still held down the player.

"Yeah, I'm not the only one here with werewolf strength." Derek shot at her and Stiles seemed shocked and worried at the same time. That was when she made the easy connection. Brett was another werewolf. That and for some reason Derek was struggling to hold him down.

"If you can't hold him still, the incision might kill him." Deaton warned the pair in a calm tone.

Just as Deaton was about to cut, "Derek, he's slipping." Stiles warned, "I don't think I can hold him." In that moment, Brett eyes opened and he zeroed in on Stiles. Before Stiles even has a chance to react his hand gripped tightly around her forearm and with a hard shove he sent her into the row of counters behind her as he took a swap at Derek and managed to break free.

He pushed past Deaton quickly, making his way to the back entrance of the clinic.

Just as the werewolf was close to his exit, Peter Hale appeared and punched the werewolf unconscious. Everyone in the clinic looked at him in shock, "I guess I still have a little werewolf strength myself." Peter cracked at them.

"Yeah, maybe more than a little." Derek commented to his uncle. Derek noticed that his arm, where Brett scratched him during the struggle, was not healing, just before he went to Stiles' side.

"I'm fine," Stiles assured him rubbing her forearm, the red markings had appeared once more after the impact she suffered with the counters, but were now fading away, "But I don't think he's breathing." Stiles said indicating at the unconscious werewolf on the floor. Deaton pushed the scalpel deep into Brett's breast bone and sliced down. The boy gasped and a thick yellow smoke flows up from the open wound and dissipated, "Is he okay?" Stiles wondered since the boy hadn't woken up.

"I think he'll be fine," Deaton assured them, Derek looked at the scratch on his arm and noticed that it was now healed, "But probably out for a while."

Stiles kneeled down to floor by Brett checking him over, "Guys, I think he's saying something." She shared in amazement because the werewolf was still unconscious.

"The sun... The moon... The truth..." Brett whispered, "The sun... The moon... The truth..."

Stiles looked at Deaton questioningly, "Three things cannot long be hidden." Deaton explained, "The sun, the moon, and the truth. It's Buddhist."

"Satomi." Peter commented knowing who exactly Brett was connected to.

* * *

><p>Scott was breaking into Garrett's locker while Liam stood on look-out, "I think someone's coming. Hurry." Scott then pulled out the duffel bag and discovered that it was full of money, "You find anything?" Liam asked him.<p>

"No." Scott lied easily, "Nothing."

Meanwhile, at the McCall residence the power was out and Melissa was on the phone talking to the power company, "I know that I'm a month late." She said into the phone, "Three months? Oh. Are you sure it's three months?" She couldn't help, but ask, "Okay, I understand. Um, but if you could just turn the power back on even for a few hours, that would be really great. I have a refrigerator full of food that's going to go bad." She explained to them, "And, obviously, I don't have the money to run out and replace $300 worth of groceries. So... I am more than happy to beg." She said to the other person on the phone.

Upstairs in his room, Isaac was listening on the entire phone conversation.

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with you?" Stiles asked Derek later that same evening at the loft changing out of her lacrosse uniform.<p>

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Stiles said struggling to pull the jersey over her head, "That you're a werewolf too. You should've been able to hold Brett down easily."

Derek could see her struggling with the jersey and made his way over to help her, "I'm probably still recovering from what Kate had done to me."

"Shit." Stiles mumbled when she realized that Derek had a point. Peter was still sort of recovering from being raised from the dead so it would only make sense, "Anyway we could forget about me pretty much questioning your whole werewolftitude? Or making you mention she-who-must-not-be-named?"

Derek doesn't answer, accept to pull of the rest of the lacrosse jersey and toss it to the side, before grabbing the back of Stiles' neck and leaning her in close enough to where their lips were almost touching, "That's actually something I need to talk you about."

"Does it have to be so up close and personal?" Stiles asked with a smile on her face, "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but some of us don't have natural werewolf heat and tend to freeze without having a shirt on."

"Here." Derek told her as he stripped off his own shirt and handed it to her. Stiles gave him a raised eyebrow, but took the shirt wordlessly, "Now before I tell you. I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't necessary."

Stiles gave him an inquiring look as she put the shirt on, "Why did I suddenly just get a bad feeling when you said that?"

"I asked Argent to do something for me." Derek said, instead of answering the question. He had been dreading the thought all night, "Argent has a place where he could put Kate away-"

"Good." Stiles voiced happily.

"I asked him not to."

In that moment, a tense silence began to fill the loft as Stiles stepped away from him. Derek could see that Stiles was calculating in her head by the face she was making, "I'm sorry," Stiles said in a surprisingly low tone, "I couldn't hear you over the _insanity _of that sentence."

"Stiles-"

"Are you forgetting she shot and kidnapped you?" Stiles snapped at him, "Are you forgetting all the hell that she put us through? Put _you_ through."

Derek could see red beginning to make an appearance all down her side as she continued off into a tangent, "Stiles please calm down."

"I am calm," She retorted easily, "Just tell me why. Why, for all the things holy, would you ask him to do something like that?"

"I can't tell you yet," Derek confessed only for Stiles to make a face 'are you kidding me' face at him, "I wouldn't unless it was absolutely important."

Stiles gave him a glare as Derek now stood in front of her. Her breathing was still heavy and she looked like she was going to send him into a wall, but what he could feel from link there was something else. It was almost like Stiles was struggling with something inside herself, "Okay." She finally told him. This surprised Derek because he had been expecting a fight, not Stiles simply giving in, "I'm sure for whatever insane reason you have to even wanting to deal with her after what she has done is a good one. I'll help with the deadpool, you figure out the Kate problem. Deal?"

"Deal." Derek surrendered, "Just be careful, alright?"

"I could say same for you." Derek caressed her face as he leaned in a placed a kiss on her lips, just as he felt a warm sensation come over his body, "I've got your back." Stiles told him when they broke apart with the red fading from her neck.

* * *

><p>The next day, Liam and Mason were out for a run. Mason couldn't get over the fact that their so called friends had been actual assassins, "It's not just that we were friends with them." Mason said as they ran, "They were using us for their cover. I mean, professional killers were using us. How are you not freaking out about that?" Mason questioned his friend who was all and calm about the situation.<p>

"Trust me," Liam told him, "I'm freaking out about a lot." And suddenly Liam took off running at "werewolf speed" leaving Mason far behind.

It only took a manner of seconds for Liam to realize what happened. Liam stopped and turned to the direction he came from only to have Garrett ram into him from behind with his truck.

Liam laid on the ground bleeding as Garrett got out of his truck, "Hey, Liam. Sorry about missing movie night." His former friend told him as the produced a dagger, "Don't worry. I got something else planned."

Mason arrived along the road where Liam was hit, but there was no one in his sight. He even doesn't notice the spots of blood on the pavement at his feet.

* * *

><p>In math class, Ms. Flemming noticed that some of her students were missing, "Has anyone seen Stiles, Landon, or Isaac today?" But the class doesn't give her an answer and she turned to the one person of the group that did actually showed up, "Micah." She called out to the were-coyote. He looked alarmed, "Any idea where your friends are?"<p>

Micah looked around confused realizing he had no idea where anyone was, "I could try catching their scent." He offered to her. This earned him some snickering and a confused look from the teacher.

"Right." Ms. Flemming commented, "How about I just mark them down as absent."

Micah was getting his supplies ready and out when he heard, "Micah." He looked around and didn't see anyone looking his direction.

"Okay, everyone, let's begin with last night's homework." Ms. Flemming instructed the class.

"Micah." The voice called out to him one more time. He quickly realized that the voice wasn't coming from inside the classroom, but was from the outside. He quickly gathered his books and bag and got up to leave the class.

"Micah." The teacher said noticing how she was about to lose another student, "Do you need to be excused from class?"

"Yeah." Micah said as if it weren't obvious. He didn't wait for the teacher's permission to leave and walked out into the hall, only to find Derek waiting for him, "What are you doing here?" He questioned.

"Brett's still out of it." Derek explained to him, "I need to find his pack and warn them about the Dead Pool."

"So what do you need me for?" Micah asked confused.

"I know a little something about this pack." Derek admitted, "They have a kind of secret meeting place in the woods." He then handed a lacrosse jersey to Micah, "This is Brett's. Breathe it in."

"I'm not good at that yet." Micah informed him, "You'll have better luck with Isaac or Scott."

"That may be true, but no one's spent more time in the woods of Beacon Hills than you." Derek pointed out, "Try it. I'll teach you. Focus on the different scents. Some are tied to identity. Others give off an emotion."

Micah took a sniff and understanding seemed to dawn in his eyes.

* * *

><p>Stiles, Allison, and Landon were at the Sheriff's station. They had the second piece of the dead pool with them, "Your dad should be back within the hour." Deputy Parrish told the trio, "You want to wait in his office?"<p>

"Actually, we want to talk to you." Stiles informed him.

"Privately." Landon told him.

Inside the Sheriff's office, "This is a hit list?" He questioned the teens, while looking over the list.

"We call it a Dead Pool." Stiles shared with him, "Recognize any of the names?"

"Yeah." Deputy Parrish admitted, "The Sheriff had me run a bunch of these through the system last night. But we couldn't find any of them."

"Show him the other thing." Allison motioned to Landon. Landon wordlessly flipped over the piece of paper and handed back to the deputy.

They watched as the deputy stared at the list, "Okay." He said to them and pointed to his name on the list, "That's kind of terrifying. What's the number?"

"That's how much you're worth."

"I'm worth five dollars?" He asked in shock and maybe with some offense.

"Try five million." Stiles corrected, holding up the number 5 with her palm.

"I only make 40,000 a year." The deputy shared in shock, "Maybe I should kill myself." He mumbled and looked at the list once more, "I don't get it. Why... Why am I on this?"

"Honestly, that might be a question for another day." Stiles told him, not wanting to explain the whole supernatural ordeal, "Right now, there's still another third of the list we gotta crack."

"We need the third cipher key." Landon told him, "But we need help getting it."

"From who?" Deputy Parrish wondered.

"Meredith."

"The girl from Eichen?" Deputy Parrish questioned them, but mainly towards Landon, "The last time you saw her, you almost gave her a nervous breakdown."

Stiles gave Landon a curious look, to which Landon simply pointed out, "Uh... Almost."

* * *

><p>Scott and Mason were on the search for Liam. They went to Coach Finstock who was guzzling down cold medicine, "Sorry, guys, Liam skipped my class." He said in a stuffy tone, "Maybe he's sick. Like me." He told them before heading back into his office.<p>

"Liam didn't look sick on our run." Mason informed Scott.

"He's not getting back to any of my texts." Scott shared as well.

"Mine either."

The school bell rings and Mason was reluctant to go to class, "Don't worry. I'll find him." Scott assured him, "But text me if you see him."

"All right." Mason caved as he made his way to his class. Scott was watching him go just as he phone buzzed.

He looked at his screen that said it was Liam calling, "This isn't Liam." Scott said knowingly.

"Looks like you're good at something McCall." Garrett's voice answered from the other end of the phone.

"Where is he?"

"Come on." Garrett said in a playful tone, "Like I'm actually going to tell you that?"

"I'll give you the money." Scott told him, hoping that it would be enough.

"Yeah, you will. But that's not going to get you Liam back." Garrett said with a smirk, "You're going to have to put in a little more effort than that."

"What do you want?" Scott demanded.

"I want the money. And Violet." Garrett said strongly, "Or you never see Liam again."

_Liam was deep down well that was located in the middle of the woods._

Scott met with Garrett in the school parking lot, "Okay, what do you want?" Scott questioned the assassin, "You want me to go to Stilinski? I can do that. Or I can talk to my father. He's an FBI agent."

"You think I want you talking to anyone with a badge?" Garrett spat at him, "I'm not getting help from a werewolf because I want him to talk to someone."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"They are transferring Violet to a federal facility." Garrett told him, "You are not gonna let that happen."

"How?"

"They're going to put her in a car. We're going to follow it." Garrett instructed him, "We get ahead of it. You stop it."

"You want me to attack a car?" Scott asked with disbelief, "That's your plan?"

"You're an Alpha." Garrett gritted at him, "If you can't stop one little car, then one little Beta is going to die." He held up dagger from earlier, "Stabbed your boy with a blade dipped in wolfsbane. Once it gets to the heart... Bad things happen."

In the hole in the woods, Liam had a stab wound in his chest that was oozing yellow puss, "Help. Scott. Is anybody there?" He called out to the empty wooden area, "Somebody help me, please. Answer me! Help me! Help... Scott! Scott, help me, please. Help!" He cried out.

Unfortunately for the young beta he was too far into the woods for anyone to hear.

* * *

><p>Making their way through the other side woods, "Their Alpha is a woman named Satomi." Derek explained to Micah, "She's one of the oldest werewolves alive. And she's learned a lot."<p>

"What does that mean?" Micah asked not getting what Derek was saying.

"She's a bitten werewolf. Learning control wasn't easy for her." Derek explained to him, "She did something a long time ago that changed her." He noticed a wary face Micah was making, "What is it?"

"Gun powder." Micah answered just as Derek kneeled to the ground and picked up a gun shell.

Derek quickly got on alert, "If Brett's pack is out here, I don't think they're meeting." Derek said to him, "They're hiding."

* * *

><p>Scott was trying to talk his dad out of transporting Violet, "We're taking her now." Agent McCall told his son.<p>

"Dad, isn't that a little dangerous?" Scott questioned him, "I mean, Garrett's still out there. Maybe we should let someone else do it."

"I appreciate the concern, but after what happened with Katashi and losing evidence off an armored truck, I'm not letting this out of my sight." Agent McCall remained firm, "And if you're still worried, you should know I've got Beacon Hills' finest coming with us."

Apparently Sheriff Stilinski was accompanying him. He had Violet in tow, who smiled at Scott as she was being led out the station.

Scott met with Garrett in his truck who handed him a case. Scott opened the case and found, what looked to be, a tranquilizer gun inside, "This is not going to work." Scott told Garrett.

"All you have to do is stop the car." Garrett pointed to him, "I'll take care of the rest."

* * *

><p>At Eichen House, one of the orderlies was trying to open Meredith Walker's room at Eichen House for Parrish, Landon, Allison, and Stiles, but a familiar face suddenly stopped him.<p>

"Oh, no, not this guy." Stiles mumbled to herself. She hadn't forgotten about her treatment during her stay in the hellhole.

"What the hell are we running here?" Brunski, the head orderly questioned the group, "A bed and breakfast? We do not just open the door for anyone with a badge."

"We need to talk to Meredith Walker." Deputy Parrish told him with a tone of authority, "It involves a murder investigation."

"Well, you can talk to her all you want," Brunski easily complied with the deputy, "But these three," He motioned over at Landon, Allison and Stiles, "Especially that one..." He eyed Stiles, "They're outta here."

"They're crucial witnesses in an ongoing investigation." Deputy Parrish told him without missing a beat, "I wouldn't have brought them here if it wasn't absolutely... Crucial."

"Okay, Deputy. How about you come back with a court order, then I'll listen." The orderly demanded and then turned his attention towards Stiles who was trying to hide behind Allison.

"As for you, Ms. Stilinski, how about you come back with payment in full." He declared to her and Stiles looked highly off-guard and defenseless, "That's right. Daddy may be the Sheriff, but he's late on the bills." The orderly mocked at her, "I guess those government jobs aren't as reliable as they used to be, huh?" He cracked wisely at her.

However, Deputy Parrish came to her rescue, "But they do help when you need a favor." The deputy said shutting the orderly down, "Like, how a month ago, Canaan P.D. helped you get home after blowing 0.1 on a breathalyzer."

"No..." Stiles awed with some amusement that Deputy Parrish had one-uped the man.

"All right." Brunski said reluctantly, "I'm not against a little quid pro quo." He informed them as he opened the door to Meredith's room, "Not at all. Not at all." He told them and walked away. Allison a made face behind his back, while Landon eagerly gave him the middle finger.

"You." Stiles said as she patted Deputy Parrish on his shoulder, "You, I like you." She said with a smile, "I'm gonna keep you."

* * *

><p>The sun had set, Garrett and Scott were still following the transport car, "There's a stop sign half a mile ahead." Garrett informed him.<p>

"So I take out the tires with my claws?" Scott questioned him.

"Teeth, claws, heat vision, whatever." Garrett offered in a bored tone, "Just stop them. You ready?"

However, when Scott and Garrett see the Sheriff's vehicle ahead, it was rolled onto its side and two figures lying in the roadway, "Stop!" Scott yelled at Garrett, "Stop the car!" Garrett does stop and Scott quickly rushed to wreckage, "Dad!"

Agent McCall was unconscious and the sheriff is trying to pull him along the ground to the side of the road, "Scott..." The Sheriff said to him.

Garrett got his double bladed stick from the back seat and began advancing down the road toward the wreck.

"She's not in the car." Scott realized, "Violet's gone."

"Scott, listen to me." The Sheriff said pulling the Alpha close, "They're still here. They're still here."

A berserker raised from the shadows and Garrett was all and ready to take it on, "You want me?" He taunted at the berserker, "Come on. Come and get me." He told the figure as he swung around his double-bladed stick, "Come and get me. Yeah, that's right! You're not so big. You're not so big..."

Garrett was so focused one the berserker he wasn't not prepared as another berserker stepped into the road and skewered him through the chest with a sharp bone and lifted him off the ground. Garrett dropped his bladed stick and apparently died.

Scott ran to help, but he was hit from behind. As his world darkened just as he could hear the Sheriff call, "Scott!"

* * *

><p>Just like before, Meredith wasn't giving them anything to go on, "Meredith, what you mean you can't tell us?" Allison asked her.<p>

"We just need the third key." Stiles reasoned with her, "You can give it to us in numbers, letters, and hieroglyphs." She said listening many ways Meredith can tell them without actually telling them, "Whatever you want."

"I can't." Meredith said curled up into a ball.

"Then why did you give us the second key?" Landon questioned her slowly losing his patience.

"I wanted to help." Meredith told them, "That's what I want to do. I want to help."

"Great. So help us now." Landon told her as he leveled with her, "Okay? Give us the third cipher key."

"Things have _changed_." Meredith whimpered to him, "I... I can't."

"Why not?" Allison urged at the Banshee.

"Guys, go easy on her." Deputy Parrish told them.

"I'm sorry." Meredith told them just as she was about ready to cry, "I can't. He... He doesn't want me to."

"He?" Stiles questioned, "Who's he?"

But Meredith doesn't answer Stiles so Landon gave it a shot, "Meredith, who doesn't want you to tell us the third cipher key?"

"The Benefactor." She told them. Landon turned his attention to Allison and Stiles.

* * *

><p>Scott woke up on the exam table at the vet clinic. There was a large sharpened bone sticking from his side, "Hey, there." Deaton greeted him as he appeared by his side, "I was actually hoping you would be out for a few more minutes."<p>

"Scott. This is going to hurt." Chris Argent said appearing on Scott's other side, he pulled out the bone as Scott roared in pain, "You all right?"

"Where's my dad and the Sheriff?" Scott asked them.

"They're at the hospital." Deaton informed him, "They're both doing fine. Hold this."

Scott took hold of the bandage as Deaton wrapped it around him, "It was Kate." Scott told them, "It was her and the Berserkers."

"We know. But they move fast." Chris told him, "And they don't leave much in the way of tracks."

"We have to find her." Scott pressed, "She's got Violet. I think Violet knows where Liam is."

"Then as much as this hurt," Deaton said holding up the bone knife, "It could probably also help."

* * *

><p>Micah and Derek were having no luck finding Satomi's pack, "Can you get a scent?" Derek asked the were-coyote.<p>

Micah shook his head, "I'm sorry." Micah told him.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Derek assured him, "If they don't want to be found, then we're not going to find them." This earned him a puzzled look from Micah, "Some werewolves have an ability. A kind of mastery over their bodies where they can actually inhibit their scent."

"They can hide from other werewolves?" Micah questioned to him.

"From anyone who's trying to find them."

"So that's why nobody knew about Brett." Micah realized.

"Same with Demarco." Derek told him.

There was a moment of silence as they sat in Derek's car, "Maybe we need to try something different." Micah offered to him and this time Derek was the one who gave Micah a questioning look, "Maybe we need to think like Stiles."

"Like a hyperactive knucklehead?" Derek questioned, wondering just how much of Stiles rubbed off on him.

"Like a detective." Micah told him, "If they're really Buddhists, then maybe instead of asking where werewolves hide, we should be asking..."

"Where would Buddhists hide?" Derek finished finally getting at what Micah was saying, "When Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, he looked to the east for enlightenment."

"Is there some kind of eastern point in Beacon Hills?" Micah asked him.

"Yeah." Derek said starting up his car, "At Lookout Point."

* * *

><p>Liam was still struggling to climb out the well. He was halfway up when he felt himself slipping again, "No, no, no, no, no!" Liam chanted trying to grip onto the well better, but it doesn't work and he fell back into the water, "Come on!" He splashed angrily. He then remembered talking to Scott after the events at Landon's lake house.<p>

**FLASHBACK**

Scott and Liam are the boathouse and there is glass glittering all over the deck, "You did that." Scott tells him, "You went right through it."

"I jumped through the window?" Liam asks with some disbelief. He even checks himself and doesn't see any marks on him.

"The cuts healed while you were changing." Scott explains to him.

"I guess that's one good thing." Liam comments.

"For you." Scott tells him, "For someone else it could be really bad." Scott reminds him, "We need to figure out how you can get a grip on this."

"I've been trying to do that for years." Liam tells him.

"What does your dad say?"

"He says when kids get angry they deal with it in one of two ways." Liam shares with him, "They either hurt themselves or they hurt someone else."

**END FLASHBACK**

Liam started back up the slippery rocks toward escape more determined than ever.


	12. Orphaned(2)

At the station, the Keeper and the Messenger of the Dead were at a stand still, "What's his name?" The Reaper demanded to the Banshee, "You could just tell us his name."

The only thing Meredith was doing was shaking her head quickly and remained silent at Landon's assault.

"Okay, you're shaking your head." Stiles said, pulling the furious Reaper away from the Banshee, "What's that mean?" She asked gently, "Does that mean you don't know? Or you don't want to help us?"

"I can't..." Meredith repeated, once more pressing herself against the wall, "I can't help anymore."

"How do you know about him?" Allison asked trying a different approach.

Deputy Parrish could see the distress that Meredith was getting and he had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well, "Guys, I think we better stop." He advised them.

"Meredith," Landon said in a calm tone, "A lot of people are going to die if you don't tell us."

"I don't... I don't know." Meredith repeated close to breaking down, "I don't know."

"Please... Meredith, it's okay." Landon pleaded to her, "You're gonna be all right. Please."

"I don't... I don't... I don't know." Meredith continued to saying more agitated.

"Meredith." Stiles tried to the Banshee.

"I said, I don't know!" The Banshee yelled at them. It was loud enough to hurt their ears and just loud enough for the Landon's ear to bleed.

* * *

><p>Scott and Chris followed the berserker's scent to a warehouse. There was a faded sign that read, "Argent Arms International"<p>

"You've been here before?" Scott asked him.

"I worked here." Chris shared with him, "We used to own the building. It was part of our business."

"I've fought these things before." Scott warned him, "They're strong. Really strong."

Chris retrieved a machine gun from the back seat of his SUV, "That's why I brought this."

"I'm good with that." Scott commented glad that he wasn't the target Argent was pointing it at...this time.

* * *

><p>At Lookout Point, Micah made a face of disgust, "Micah?" Derek asked him noticing the face he was making.<p>

"You don't _smell_ that?" Micah questioned him as he suddenly bolted in a random direction.

"Wait for me." Derek told him, but Micah doesn't go any farther due to him coming to a sudden halt.

"Right here." Micah in a heavy tone. In front of them laid a dozen dead bodies.

* * *

><p>Chris and Scott were just entering the warehouse when they ran into Kate, "You shouldn't have come." Kate told them.<p>

"Kate." Scott said in a calm tone just as two berserkers appeared by her side, "I'm here for Violet. I need to talk to her."

"I knew you'd find me." Kate said not paying attention to Scott, but to her brother, "But... I was hoping we could do this later. I just needed a little more time."

"For what?" Chris questioned his sister.

"To learn control." Kate told him, "Lower the gun. We walk away. And you don't have to get hurt."

"Where's Violet?" Scott demanded, only to still be ignored.

"Put the gun down, Chris." Kate warned her brother.

"Where is she?" Scott demanded.

However, Kate transformed and the berserkers began to attack, "No!" Scott shouted just as Chris began firing at them.

"Stop!" Scott shouted at the male Argent, but Kate reached Chris and punched him. Scott found himself dealing with his own problem as he managed to dodge the berserkers while Chris got thrown through a table.

* * *

><p>Derek and Micah were still looking at the sea of bodies before them, "What happened?" Micah asked him.<p>

"I think they might have been poisoned." Derek said as he examined one of the bodies.

"That's great." Micah mumbled getting on edge, "If assassins with guns don't get you, then the ones with wolfsbane poison will." He said recounting all the attacks there have been, "Or maybe one with no mouth." He said looking at Derek, "Maybe we should _all_ be running from Beacon Hills." Micah told him, backing away from the dead, "Running for our lives. As fast as we can."

As Derek turned to go, he heard someone move. He turned to see a hand in the air and rushed to find Braeden wounded and gasping.

* * *

><p>Back at the Argent warehouse, Scott got knocked through a wall. Then picked up by a berserker again and was rammed through several more walls. Before he has a chance to recover from the assault, it came at him quickly again and he was once again picked up and thrown through a wall into a room where he found Violet.<p>

She was tied up to a chair, but her throat appeared to be slashed.

Chris Argent was severely beaten by the berserker and was now on the ground just as it was ready to deliver a killing blow, Kate appeared and shouted, "No!"

The berserker does stop and Kate and the two berserkers disappear. Scott appeared by Chris' side and helped him up, "Scott..." Chris said in a wounded breath, "Scott. I'm sorry."

"I'm not going to find him." Scott said with some heavy dread.

"There's still time, Scott." Chris assured him, "There's still time."

"What if I'm not quick enough?"

"There's only one person who can get from place to place faster than you can." Chris told him.

* * *

><p>With Stiles gone, Allison and Landon were in Landon's room trying to figure out the third key, "Okay, well, we know one thing." Allison told him, "Both of the first two keys, Erica and Boyd, they're both names of the dead. Right?"<p>

"But we've already tried every other dead person's name we could think of." Landon reminded her with a tired sigh, "And if you haven't noticed, there were a lot of tries."

"Yeah, I noticed." Allison told him and she noticed the look of distress on her friend's face, "You okay?"

"The only other person, just like me, I've ever met." Landon said starting at his laptop, "And I think I might have just drove her over the edge."

"Landon, it wasn't your fault. I was there, too." Allison told him turning his computer chair towards, "And you're probably not the only..." Allison stopped in mid sentence when a thought popped into her head, "Hold on. You both predict death. Right?" Landon nodded with assurance, "So what if the third key is someone who isn't dead..."

"But will be." Landon realized. Landon took a breath and concentrated with his eyes closed and started to type randomly, but when he was done and opened his eyes. The name on the screen he had typed out was DEREK. Allison and Landon exchanged worried glances just Landon pressed the enter key and the last piece of the list was revealed.

SATOMI ITO 10

MICAH HALE 4

LIAM DUNBAR 3

MEREDITH WALKER 1

LIZ MOORE 1

PATRICK CLARK 1

BREE LEVERETT 250

KAITLYN SCHAAR 250

GENEVIVE CARY 250

ANGELIQUE FAIN 250

LORILEE ROHR 250

BRITTANI KEGLEY 250

Landon didn't know which was more shocking first, but he quickly noticed that Meredith's name was on the list, "Call Parrish." He told Allison, "We need to call Parrish."

* * *

><p>In the well, Liam was still climbing. He began to cough and his hands slipped a bit. He looked up and noticed the waning moon shining down on him from the mouth of the well. He shouted in frustration, but the cry transformed into a growl.<p>

At the former Argent Arms International warehouse, Scott turned as if he heard something just as Stiles pulled up right in front of them, "I know where he is." He told her and without a word Stiles grabbed him by the hand and surrounded them both in a light of energy. Chris Argent noticed that instead of her normal blue light, Stiles had a yellow one.

Liam was slipping. He struggled just to hang on to the rock wall of the well. One hand slipped off and hung limp at his side. A few seconds, later his strength in the other slipped and he fell back.

At that moment an arm from above reached down and grabbed his hand. Both Stiles and Scott have arrived and pulled him to safety. Scott held him close, running his hand down Liam's head, "You're okay, Liam." Scott told his beta with relief, "You're okay."

* * *

><p>Back in Landon's room, "What are you talking about?" Landon asked Deputy Parrish over the phone.<p>

"Landon," He told him, "Meredith's gone. They found her an hour ago in her room. She hung herself. I'm sorry."

_Brunski removes a knotted bed sheet from around Meredith's neck. _

Landon was stunned into silence just as Allison pulled him close to comfort him.

* * *

><p>Dr. Deaton made an incision along Liam's chest. The yellow smoke drifted out and dissipated as it did before with Brett, "I don't want to keep watching people die." Scott said to Chris, Deaton, and Stiles. Stiles looked worriedly at her friend.<p>

"Scotty, I'm not sure you have much choice about that." She told him. They had been through a lot of crap of the past year, but this was something that they never had faced before.

"Maybe I do." Scott told her.

"That's a lot of burden to carry, Scott." Deaton told him.

"I don't care. No one else dies." Scott said to them, "Everyone on that list. Everyone on that Dead Pool. It doesn't matter if they're wendigos, or werewolves, or whatever. I'm gonna save everyone." Scott then looked over at his friend, who wore a proud smile on her face.

"And I'm going to be right beside you." Stiles said confidently.

* * *

><p>Back in Landon's room, Landon was still silent, "We have to tell her." Allison said to Landon quietly. If she thought things were getting rough now, she knew it was about to get rougher.<p>

Landon looked blankly at Allison, "Tell who what?"

"Stiles." Allison pointed at Derek's name in the section where his name broke the code.

There was a moment of silence between the two, "The last time I told Stiles someone was about to die it resulted in her being stabbed with a sword." Landon said in a daze.

"I know…" Allison remembered very clearly.

"And when Kali had threatened to go after Isaac…It wasn't a pretty sight." This time he broke out his daze, "Just imagine how she'll react when she finds out Derek's next." Landon expressed to her.

"But we can't hide this from her." Allison pressed, "She's going to want to add this to the board."

Landon knew Allison was right, Stiles had a system going and so far that system seemed to work, "Then we give her a false name." Landon suggested and Allison looked at him wide-eyed, "If we even remotely say 'Derek's going to die' that could easily send her to a point where she'll destroy anything and everything until the threat is gone. Which is worst considering how we don't even know who exactly has the list or who exactly is the threat."

"And what about Micah?" Allison questioned him as she started pacing in his room, "He needs to know."

"There's a _slight_ problem with that."

"How is that a problem?" Allison questioned him, "Derek has another family member that survived the fire."

"He is Peter's son."

Allison was shocked, "How do you know that?"

"Remember when we went to Peter for help during the Nogitsune?" Landon asked her, Allison gave him a head nod, "That wasn't the only thing Talia told me."

"Wait are you say…"

"Yes."

"Do the others know?"

"Yes."

"And Micah doesn't..."

"No." Landon confessed to Allison, "Right now we think it's best that way."

Allison sat beside Landon on his bed, "Okay." Allison said with a heavy sigh, "I slightly understand the Micah thing, but what about Stiles? What if she figures it out?"

"Let's just hope for once, that she doesn't."

* * *

><p>Isaac and Scott were now in Scott's room, while Stiles went to retrieve her jeep, when Allison and Landon arrived and showed them the last piece of the dead pool.<p>

"Are you serious?" Scott questioned them, upon seeing the keyword and Micah's real name.

"Yes," Allison told him worriedly, "We can't let Stiles or Micah see that list."

"How is that going to be possible?" Isaac asked them.

"As far as the Micah issue we can only hope that he doesn't see it," Landon told them, "However, I was able to alter the keyword and replace it with someone else's name."

Landon handed over the altered dead pool. Isaac took one look at the fake name, "Oh...ho. This is not going to end well."

"It couldn't just be anyone's name." Landon explained to them, "It would have to fit the pattern."

"Guys," Scott told them when he caught sight of the name that they were going to give, "This is a _very_ bad idea."

* * *

><p>Kate was washing blood from her face in a storm drain under the street when Peter appeared, "I suppose you're hiding down here because it'll cover your scent." He told her catching her attention, "But I can smell a rat. Even in a sewer." He noticed the trimmers through her body, "It's getting worse, isn't it? The surges of anger. The loss of control. You know, I used to get angry." Peter told her as Kate watched unimpressed, "As a kid, I would even break my own toys in little fits of rage. And then I asked myself, "Why break your own toys when you can break someone else's?""<p>

"Stop pitching and just tell me what you want." Kate told him.

"Obviously, we're in a position of mutually assured destruction." He told her.

"Oh, I'm not so sure the scales are that balanced." Kate told him as she indicated the berserkers that were waiting behind her.

"Probably true." Peter agreed easily, "But... I know you want to get the family back together again." He told her with a smile, "The return of the Argents to their glorious power. Am I right? But you know, you can't go back unless you can exhibit absolute and total control. I can offer control. I can teach you."

"So, you're willing to teach me in order to get what you want." Kate said still not impressed with Peter's antics, "Which is what?"

"Obviously, I want my money back."

"Mmm-mmm." Kate sounded narrowing her eyes at him, "That's not it. Maybe part of it." She informing him she wasn't buying anything he was saying, "But that's not all you want."

"I need the money. Yes." Peter confessed as he walked closer to her, "But I'll admit, money only gets you so far. What I want is what I've always wanted." He said as he leaned into her ear he whispered, "Power."

* * *

><p>When Stiles finally arrived the McCall residence Allison and Landon were already gone, Scott handed her the third piece of the dead pool list that had been altered.<p>

"How is that possible?" She questioned them while she stared at the name.

"We're not exactly sure." Scott told her, "Allison and Landon went on a whim and it worked."

"So the quicker we can figure out the dead pool business." Isaac told her calmly, "Chance of death is not likely."

Stiles looked between the werewolves trying to process what was happening, "You counted it yet?" She asked them looking at the duffle bag that laid on the ground.

"No."

"We should probably count it." She told them calmly as she sat cross-legged on the floor. Isaac and Scott exchanged worried glances, but followed suit.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

Melissa McCall exited the elevator at the hospital on a mission. She walked past a blond girl sitting in a chair in the hall who had been crying softly. She opened the door to Braeden's room and quickly started to inject something into her IV.

"What's that?" Derek questioned her.

"Naloxone." Melissa said as she pushed down the syringe, "We need to wake her up."

"I thought you said she needed to rest."

"That was _before_ I found out the CDC just put the high school under quarantine with Isaac, Scott and Stiles still in there." Melissa told him.

"I need to get to the school." Derek said rushing his way out the room, but Melissa held him back.

"No one is getting in or out of the school," She told him slowly, "The best we can do now is wake up Braeden and find out what the hell is going on."

XXXX

Stiles was banging on the outside door of the Hale vault, "Hey, Scott? Scotty?" She cried out in a panic, "In the vault, in there with you. It's called reishi mushrooms." But she doesn't get answer. On the inside of the vault Scott was leaning on the vault door, "Scott? Scott, open the door!" She demanded and started to pound onto the door, "It's in there with you. It's in a jar, it's on one of the shelves." But again she heard nothing.

Now focusing on her power Stiles attempted materialize her way through, but realized she couldn't so she next the next best thing. She focused on trying conjure up enough force just to open the door, but couldn't. It dawned on her in that exact moment that the infection was now causing her not to be able to use her power, even though the red markings were still visible, "Scott!" She cried out and started to pound on the door once more, "Scott, can you hear me?" But she heard nothing and Stiles released a broken scream.


	13. Weaponized(1)

In a disclosed location, a small plastic quarantine tent sat within in a larger tented laboratory. The small tent was surrounded by a circle of powdered Mountain Ash. There was growling coming from within.

A lab coated middle aged man entered, placed himself at a work table, and began making notations. He has a cup of tea while inside the smaller tent was a werewolf, oozing black goo from his eyes and mouth, reached out feebly with a clawed hand.

It appeared that was his body was having some kind of reaction. The lab coat man pressed play on a cassette player and a voice filled the room, "After entering the IP address, you will be connected through a Darknet portal to an untraceable bank. Once logged in, enter your account number to receive wire transfers. The IP address…"

* * *

><p>Isaac, Scott, and Stiles were listening to the same voice in Scott's room, "…Will deactivate with each transfer. You will be assigned a new IP address if you choose to continue down the list. Remember, visual confirmation is <em>always<em> required for payment."

Stiles pressed the stop button on the tape recorder, "You ever made a wire transfer?" She asked Scott. They were all sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Never had enough money."

"So you didn't understand a word of that either?" Isaac concluded.

"I don't understand any of this." Scott admitted, "Why would someone use all this money just to kill us?"

"Someone wants you dead, dude. _Badly_." Stiles pointed out just as Scott picked up the money and began to stow it under the bed, "Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?"

"It's late." Scott responded while still pushing the bag under the bed, "We've got the PSATs in the morning."

"No, I meant the money. $500,000." She stated wacking Scott on his shoulder, "You know how much money that is?"

"It's 500,000..."

"It's _half_ a million dollars, Scott." She pointed to him, "What are you going to do, just slide it under your mattress?"

"I have to talk to Derek." Scott told her, "The money's his."

"You mean his and Peter's."

"What does that mean?"

"It means maybe we should proceed with caution."

"You don't think we should tell Derek?" Isaac realized.

"No. No." Stiles sighed, "No, of course we have to tell him." She said to them, "I'm just... I'm just saying, some of that money's Peter's, right?"

"Yeah."

"Right? Peter." Stiles pointed out, "_Homicidal_ killer? Remember? You want to give $500,000 to him."

"So we should give Derek his money back." Isaac said trying to grip as to what Stiles was saying, "But not Peter?"

"She exactly didn't say that." Scott realized, "Stiles, what are you saying?"

But they all get interrupted when Micah suddenly came busting into Scott's room. This time he actually used the door and it practically falls on its hinge.

"Nice use of the door," Stiles told him, as she hid the third piece of the dead pool in her jacket pocket, "How about we try to avoid breaking it?"

"We found Satomi's pack." Micah told them excitedly, "Derek and I. But they're dead."

"All of them?" Scott questioned.

"All the ones we found."

"Then where's Derek?" Isaac asked.

"He's at the hospital," Stiles answered automatically as she concentrated on the link. She was only getting bits and pieces of what Derek was saying, "Something happened to Braeden."

* * *

><p>Derek arrived at Beacon Hills Hospital carrying Braeden. Melissa McCall quickly ordered for someone to get her a cart as she assessed Braeden, "She's been shot." Derek told her. Melissa could clearly see that Braeden had been shot, but other than she looked find aside from the unconsciousness.<p>

"She seems to be okay," Melissa told him, "But she does need to rest."

Braeden had finally been settled into a room, "I assume you told Stiles to focus on the test tomorrow and not on this?" Melissa asked Derek. They were now at the nurse's station.

"Of course I did," Derek said with a heavy sigh, "Doesn't mean she'll actually listen."

"From what I hear she's doing pretty well with the other situation."

"She gave the Scout's honor." To his surprise, Melissa looked like she was trying to hold back a laugh, "She never was a scout, was she?"

"Nope." Melissa spilled this time smiling a bit, "Well...she was for like a day...until she bit the trooper leader."

* * *

><p>Outside the Beacon Hills Animal Clinic Dr. Deaton was locking up when he sensed someone behind him. He whipped out a telescopic baton weapon and turned to swings at a hooded foe. They ducked and attack with what appeared to be a foot-long metal spike. After a few parries and thrusts, Deaton stopped and gave them a bow, "You could have called," Deaton told them, "Satomi- san."<p>

Under the hood was Satomi, the bitten werewolf that Noshiko had told Scott and Kira about, with her eyes glowing red.

* * *

><p>That Saturday morning Scott, Kira, Micah, Isaac and Stiles found themselves at school for the PSATs, "Where's Landon?" Kira questioned as they walked through the parking lot of the school.<p>

"He took it his freshman year." Stiles answered.

"Same with Allison." Scott included.

"Does that mean I could have taken it some other time?" Micah wondered.

"Micah, you studied harder for this than any of us." Scott pointed out to him.

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna do good." Micah countered.

"Well..." Isaac corrected carefully.

"Well, what?" Micah questioned not catching the subtle hint.

"It's do well," Stiles informed him, "Not good."

"Oh, God!" Micah then freaked out and was about ready to turn back when Stiles and Isaac forced him back into the direction of the building, "Okay, okay." He told them reluctantly.

"You're doing this, because while we're trying not to die, we still need to live." Scott told him, "If I survive high school, I'd like to go to college. A good college." He told the pack.

"It's only three hours." Stiles told them, "I survived being possessed by an evil demon for a month."

"I survived being locked up in a freezer for most my childhood." Isaac inputted.

"Only three hours." Kira repeated trying to be positive, "We can totally survive for three."

* * *

><p>Once they got inside their respected classroom, each student was required to place their fingerprint on their answer sheet. The security measure was an effort to keep students from paying others to take the test for them. Scott pressed his thumb into the provided ink pad and applied it to the paper.<p>

He was then handed a booklet by teacher who happened to be the same man from the lab. They were also required to give up their cell phones for the duration of the test. Natalie Martin (Landon's mom) took each phone and placed it in an individual, numbered, envelope.

Stiles had already opened up her booklet, "Please do not open the test booklet until you are instructed to do so." The man, Simon apparently, instructed them, but Stiles didn't miss how he looked at her in particular. She closed the booklet without a word, "This test is two hours and 10 minutes. There will be two 25-minute critical reading sections, two 25-minute math sections and an essay writing portion that will last 30 minutes." He informed the class. He turned his attention toward Natalie, "There are supposed to be two teachers monitoring this exam." He informed her.

"I know. It's Coach. He's not exactly punctual." She told as she pulled out her phone, "Um, let me just try him again."

* * *

><p>She stepped into the hall to try to call him again, only she noticed his office door at the end of the hall and decided to check there. When she opened his office door she found Coach Finstock passed out on his desk.<p>

"Oh, no." She mumbled as she closed the door and made her way to him, "Hey, get up." She whispered to him. The only response she got was him groaning, "Hey. Oh, Bobby." She said with disappointment when he doesn't respond, "15 years sober and you fall off the wagon at school?" She gently smacked him on the face, but had no such luck of getting a response, "Forget it. I'll bring you some coffee during one of the breaks. 15 years, Bobby." She chastised the man.

* * *

><p>"I can't find him," She told Simon, when she returned to the classroom, "But Mr. Yukimura is upstairs grading papers. Do you want me to try him?"<p>

"We have to start." He informed her, "We can ask for his assistance during the first break." He suggested, before turning his attention to the class, "You may now open your test booklets and begin." He told the class.

Scott and Kira seemed to know the answers and were quickly filling in the bubbles on their answer sheet. Both Isaac and Stiles seemed surprised by one of the questions, while Micah seemed stumped by the whole process. It was quiet at first when a girl sitting over one row and behind Stiles suddenly collapsed to the floor.

"Sydney!" Natalie asked rushing over to the girl's side, "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay." Sydney assured her in a daze from the floor, "I just got kind of dizzy."

When Ms. Martin had helped her up she noticed a pattern of red and white welts developed on the girl's arm, "Sydney, how long have you had this?"

"I don't know." Sydney told her confused at the rash on her as well, "Ms. Martin, do I need to stop the test?"

"No, um, it's fine. Everybody stay in your seats." She told the class, "I'll, um, be back in a minute. Nobody leaves the room." She told Simon. She pulled out her phone and walked out into the hall once more.

* * *

><p>She immediately headed to Coach's office and checked his wrists. There was visible no rash on his arms. She then lifted his shirt and found his back was covered with large red and white welts.<p>

She stepped back into the hall and seeing several students entering the school from the opposite end of the hall, "Get back! No! Do not come in here!" She quickly pushed them back out, "Get back outside!" She told them as she locked the doors behind her.

Hearing the commotion in the hall, the students taking the PSAT, including Scott, rushed outside, "Back to your seats." She told them. Once the students went back into the classroom, "I need the number of the CDC." She told the operator on the phone, "Yes, the Center for Disease Control."

Thanks to his enhanced-hearing Scott could hear the entire conversation.

* * *

><p>Within the hour, agents of the CDC, dressed head to toe in yellow bio-hazard suits, entered the school. They proceed to set up a quarantine area in one of the larger classrooms. They have two rows of beds. Each was covered by a clear plastic tent.<p>

The outside of the school was also covered in clear plastic when Sheriff Stilinski arrived on outside the school. He noticed that bio-suited men and women are rushing back and forth, "Excuse me." He asked one of the workers, "Can anyone tell me what we're dealing with here?"

"Hopefully a false alarm." The worker told him, "The details provided have concerned us and your local health authorities enough to order a quarantine. We're going to need your help ensuring that no one gets in or out of the school."

"My daughter is in there."

"Is this gonna be a conflict for you?" The worker questioned him.

"Conflict? No." He told them, "Stressful? Yeah." He looked at the large tent surrounding the school, "All right. What happens now?"

* * *

><p>Back inside Ms. Martin was tending to Sydney, who had been separated from the rest of class, while she explained to Scott what was going on, "We isolate the sick and then we wait for instructions." She explained to him, "If I'm wrong, they'll be out of here pretty quickly, and then I'm the crazy biology teacher who panicked for nothing."<p>

Sydney then started to panic and Scott was quick rush to her aide, "Hey. You're gonna be okay."

"It's not that." She told him, "The PSATs, the qualifying tests for the National Merit Scholarship. My parents can't afford to send me to college without it." She said with a heavy breath.

"Well, I'm sure they'll let you take it again." Scott assured her.

On the other side of the classroom, Stiles, Isaac, Kira and Micah were looking outside the window at the commotion going on outside, "Bet they're thinking smallpox." Stiles told them.

"Not likely." Simon told her, clearly he had been ease dropping, "Smallpox was eradicated worldwide in 1979. We've only managed to completely eradicate two viruses in history. The other was rinderpest. It killed cows."

"So we should be comforted by that, right?" Isaac asked him.

"Unless it's something _worse_." The Chemist told them.

Micah then used his enhanced hearing was able to pick-up some radio chatter, "Whatever it is, they're taking it pretty seriously." Micah told them, "There a lot of cars and trucks out there."

He then picked up the sound of the Sheriff's voice saying, "We're doing the best we can."

"Your dad's with them." Isaac said as he too was using his enhanced hearing.

"I should probably call him." Stiles said as she reached for her phone.

"Don't bother." The teacher said to them, "They would have shut off any access to all outside communication by now. No cell service, no WiFi. No one starting a panic. Looks like we're all just going to have to wait here and see what happens."

* * *

><p>Satomi and Deaton brought one of her sick male Betas into the animal clinic, "How does it begin?" Deaton questioned.<p>

"With fever." She started out, "Then shifting becomes _uncontrollable_. Fangs, claws, even full, _unwarranted_ transformations." She told as she remembered seeing her betas sudden changes, "We moved into the woods when that began. Then it progressed faster and faster. They couldn't stand. But worse than that was this sudden blindness."

"Total?"

"They couldn't see a thing." She said quietly, "From there, they had only a few minutes left."

Deaton released a heavy sigh, "I'm going to be honest, Satomi. We need to get him to a hospital."

"That's never really been an option for our _kind_." She pointed out to him, "Unless you know something I don't."

"Not something, but someone."

* * *

><p>Melissa McCall exited the elevator at the hospital on a mission. She walked past a blond girl sitting in a chair in the hall who had been crying softly. She opened the door to Braeden's room and quickly started to inject something into her IV.<p>

"What's that?" Derek questioned her.

"Naloxone." Melissa said as she pushed down the syringe, "We need to wake her up."

"I thought you said she needed to rest."

"That was _before_ I found out the CDC just put the high school under quarantine with Isaac, Scott and Stiles still in there." Melissa told him.

"I need to get to the school." Derek said rushing his way out the room, but Melissa held him back.

"No one is getting in or out of the school," She told him slowly, "The best we can do now is wake up Braeden and find out what the hell is going on."

After, Melissa had finished with the injection, Braeden jerked up awake and Melissa gently pushed her back down onto the bed, "Braeden, look at me." She informed her, "You were shot, but you're in the hospital now and you're fine. Do you understand?" Braeden gave her a nod, "Good. Okay. Last night you were in the woods and you came across another pack?" She questioned the mercenary, "Do you know what happened to them?"

"I told you, they were poisoned." Derek told Melissa.

"No. No, they were _infected."_ Braeden corrected him, "It was a virus _designed_ to kill werewolves. And it did. It killed them _all_."

_Back at the school, Natalie was knocking on the locker room door. Scott was inside and could no longer control his shift. His eyes were glowing red and his fangs were out, but Scott felt that he had more fangs than usual._

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Allison and Landon have returned to the white room in Landon's Grandmother's lake house with a box of Meredith Walker's positions from Eichen House. They laid them item out on the white carpet. First, a nearly empty bottle of perfume with an old style atomizer bulb attached. Then a dried bouquet of flowers tied with a pink ribbon followed by a stuffed dog attached to a photograph.<p>

Silently, Landon started up the red record player and while the static flows from the speakers, "All right, Meredith. I'm not sure how to do this. I'm not a psychic. And apparently I'm not much of a Reaper either." He said quietly. Allison sat on the floor by his side in silence, "But Allison and I _trying_ to help our friends. I don't know if you can hear me." He said aloud, "Or, uh, what I'm supposed to ask you. But if I have this _thing_, it works some of the time." He said with a crack in his voice, Allison placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a weak smile.

"It's gotta help _someone_. Maybe what I really wanted to say was... I'm sorry. I wish I could have helped you. I'm sorry." Landon said.

Allison wasn't surprised with what happened next, Landon snatched the needle from the record and began stuffing Meredith's belongings back in the box clearly frustrated. Wordlessly, Allison gripped Landon into a hug as her friend released small sobs into her shoulder.

"Thanks." Landon told her as he wiped off his face.

Allison told him, "You don't have to thank me."

Landon gave her a meek smile and started to pick up the remaining items. When he got a hold of stuffed dog, he noticed the photograph stuck to it. Something about it looked familiar, Landon stared at the image and realized that the picture of Meredith was taken in the same room where he and Allison were in now.

The black and white image shown the edge of the record player, the wall outlet and one of the sconces inside the white room in his grandmother's lake house.

_Mr. Yukimura had entered the locker room, where Scott was now groaning in pain and was also partially transformed, "Get Stiles." Scott managed to get out_.

* * *

><p>The CDC was taking blood from each student. In line waiting for their turn, Micah noticed that Scott, Stiles, and Isaac were missing, "Kira, do you ever get the feeling that Isaac, Scott and Stiles aren't telling you everything?" Micah asked.<p>

"What do you mean?" Kira asked.

"Like they hide stuff."

"I think if they did, they'd probably have a pretty good reason." Kira assured him.

"Do you know what they're hiding in the bag under Scott's bed?" Micah asked.

"I wasn't aware of anything like that," Kira answered honestly, "Maybe Allison knows."

It was now Kira's turn, but Kira was nervous about it, "I don't like needles either." The C.D.C Doctor told her, "I promise, it'll be fast."

Just as the doctor was about to start the procedure, lightening shot up the needle and burns the CDC worker's hazmat suit. Other workers rushed her outside and Micah rushed Kira away from the other students.

* * *

><p>Sheriff Stilinski had noticed the wave of people escorting the doctor out and rushed his way over, "What happened in there?"<p>

"I don't know, must have been static electricity." The CDC Doctor informed him.

"Any breach of the interior layer, doctor?" One of the colleagues asked.

"It's okay, it just broke the top layer." She informed them.

Agent McCall was on the site as well and made his way over to them, "Any verdict on what we're dealing with yet?" He asked her, but the doctor gave him a pointed look, "My son's in there."

"Your son and his daughter." She indicated at the Sheriff, "Great. You can debrief each other." She told them, before walking off.

"I heard smallpox." Agent McCall told the Sheriff, "Any truth to that?"

"You want my opinion?" Sheriff Stilinski told him, "I don't think the Orphans were the only professional killers in Beacon Hills."

* * *

><p>The pack had finally managed to meet up in the locker room. Isaac's eyes were continuing to glow the Beta Yellow while Scott's eyes kept glowing from the Alpha Red to back to normal, "It's still happening." Mr. Yukimura noticed when he looked at Micah's hands. His claws were retracted.<p>

"I can't make them go back." Micah told him as he focused on trying to get them back to normal.

"Obviously the virus is affecting the three of you in a way it won't hit any human being." He realized.

"You guys have to stay out of sight." Stiles spoke up, "We have to quarantine you from the quarantine."

"Yeah, but where?" Kira asked him, "I mean, what if they get _violent_? Like on a full moon."

"We shouldn't stay in here." Scott told them, "Not in the locker room."

"A classroom is not going to hold us, either," Isaac pointed out as he fought another need to shift.

"What about the basement?" Kira offered.

"Too many ways out." Scott told her, "We need something _secure_. Somewhere nobody can find us."

"The vault." Isaac offered.

"The Hale vault." Stiles agreed, "The Hales always have an escape route." She remembered, "Like their house. There has to be another way in."

Not a second too soon, Stiles and Mr. Yukimura were looking at the blueprints of the school, "This is where the school sign is," She told him, "So the vault's got to be right about here."

"I suppose if there's a second entrance," He implied, "It would probably be accessible from the basement."

Stiles looked over the blueprints and noticed a dead end on the map, "It's probably somewhere in this hallway." She shared and pointed at the area, "West corridor."

For a moment, Stiles collapsed, but managed to recover quickly, "Whoa." She commented when she caught sight of her hand. She was now producing the signs of the infection as well. Not to mention the red markings were running down her arm. Stiles quickly covered up her arms with her jacket.

"It's happening to you too." Mr. Yukimura told her, "You're getting sick. You all are."

"I don't feel sick." Kira told her father.

Mr. Yukimura gave her a heavy look, "I think it's affecting you differently, neurologically." He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket, "I found your test answers here in a pile with the others."

On the Kira's answer sheet, and it looked like she tried to fill in the bubbles, but kept missing them. Her marks were all over the page.

* * *

><p>They managed to get down to the basement without being detected, "Hey, guys... Over here." Stiles told them as she looked around, she found the triple spiral of a triskelion carved into the way with a familiar metal grate in the center, "Look at the cracks in the wall. It's like the entrance outside, it only opens with claws. Anyone's claws, right?"<p>

Scott and Stiles did their non verbal communication, resulting in Scott shaking his head and Stiles subtly nodding hers as Scott ignored it, "Um... Micah, can you try?"Scott suggested.

"Why me?"

"I don't have control and you already have your claws out."

"Okay. I'll do it." Micah told him, "But first tell me what you've been hiding from me." He looked over at Stiles, "Both of you." Scott and Stiles both looked at each other for signs for help, but either one of them were ready to tell Micah the truth just yet, "I know you think you're trying to protect me, but I can handle it." He assured them, "I know I'm on the list."

"Yes..." Stiles told him.

"So how much?"

"How much what?" Stiles countered.

"How much am I worth?"

"Four million." Scott told him.

Micah looked at them with a look Stiles couldn't exactly read, "Are you okay?" Stiles asked carefully.

"Yeah." Micah answered completely unbothered, "Scott's worth 25, Kira, 6. They'll take you guys out way before me."

"Well, that's one way to look at it." Isaac commented as Micah inserted his claws in the wall grate and gave it a twist.

Light came from the door lock as the mechanism receded into the wall and the door opened. The five entered the vault and door closed behind them.

* * *

><p>Melissa was helping Deaton with Satomi's sick beta. They were both wearing masks and surgical suits. He was now vomiting black goo. Seeing what was happening Melissa started to worry about something else, "This isn't happening at the school, is it?" She asked him.<p>

"School?" Deaton question confused by Melissa's question, "It's Saturday."

"They're taking the PSATs."

"I think we need to hurry." Deaton told them.

However, when the elevator dinged as it opened, the beta released a choked sound right before he died. Satomi cried and Deaton pulled her into a hug for comfort.

* * *

><p>Back in the vault, Scott was sitting quietly on the ground as Stiles had Isaac in her lap and Micah on her shoulder, "You know, this is where it all started." Isaac told them as Kira was pacing around the vault, he pointed over the empty safe, "That's where the money was. 117 million in bearer bonds."<p>

Stiles had started to feel effects the infection had on her powers as they showed. Right now only a few things in the vault were floating in the air, but Stiles focused on remaining calm so things couldn't get any worse. On the bright the shade of the red hadn't changed.

"How do you even change bearer bonds into cash?" Kira asked him. She placed a jar that was hovering in the air back down, "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She asked worriedly to Stiles.

Stiles gave her a head nod, "Bank, I guess." Stiles answered while she rubbed her hand through Isaac's hair, "They just let it sit here the whole time collecting dust." She indicated at the jar now hovering again. "You know bearer bonds are basically extinct?"

"Why does it matter?" Kira asked.

"You know how many problems that money could solve?"

"For you?"

"Me." She agreed, "My dad... The Eichen House and MRI bills are crushing him." She said quietly.

"Melissa does this thing, she writes down all the items in our budget," Isaac told them and Scott looked up in surprise, "How much they cost, then she adds them all up and figures out how long we have until... We lose the house."

* * *

><p>Landon and Allison both arrived to the school as the night had fallen, but they were cut off at the police line. Looking around frantically, Allison finally caught site of the Sheriff, "Sheriff!" She tried as she attempted to get through the line, "Sheriff!"<p>

Sheriff Stilinski made his over to them and told the attending deputy to let them in.

"My mom's in there." Landon said out of breath, "What's happening?"

"We're working on it." The Sheriff told him.

* * *

><p>"Anything?" Scott asked Stiles. Ever since they had been in the vault, Stiles had been trying to reach out to Derek, but so far she hadn't gotten anything. She was starting to think that it was another side effect of the infection.<p>

"Nothing," Stiles reported to him, "What about you."

Scott and Stiles stood near the entrance of the door as Scott listened through it, "They're looking for us. Someone's going to have to go out there."

The best friends looked back into the vault and saw Isaac, Micah, and Kira huddled up on the floor, "We need to tell him. We need to tell him that Peter is his father." Scott whispered to Stiles, "He's going to see the rest of the dead pool eventually."

"You're right," Stiles told him, "But there's a slight problem with that. Try to remember that aside from Isaac, Peter is the one name _missing_ on that list." She reminded him, "Which either makes him incredibly lucky with a benefactor and Micah finds out and runs to him," Stiles pointed out, "And knowing Peter, he's going to _twist_ his way into his head like he does with everyone. Including _us_."

"But he's helped us out before, remember?"

"Okay, so he helped us fight the Oni and helped get me out of my subconscious, kudos for him." Stiles whispered, around them the lights flickered and Stiles had to take a calming breath before she continued, "We let him walk around like nothing ever happened, like he's one of the good guys... Scott, he's _not_ one of the good guys." She empathized, "If Micah finds out about him, he's gone. That's probably what he's waiting for and if he wins, we lose."

"We're already losing." Scott told her sadly.

* * *

><p>Doctor Deaton had performed a craniotomy on Satomi's dead beta, "I think I know what this is." He told Melissa and Satomi, "Unfortunately, if I'm right, and Scott and the rest are infected, it's not good." Melissa gave him a worried look, "They're going to die without an antidote."<p>

* * *

><p>Stiles leaned over Isaac and Micah as they were sleeping on the floor, "Micah," Stiles whispered, "Isaac."<p>

"Mmm." Isaac responded as he tried to awake from his sleep. She placed her jacket on top of them.

"I gotta leave for a few, okay?" She told them calmly.

"Where are you going?" Micah as he and Isaac both sit up.

"Whatever's happening, it's _worse_ for you guys." She told them, "That means it's not just people getting sick, it's another assassin."

"You're not going out there." Isaac told her in a weak voice, "You have the markings all over your neck and obviously have no full control of your powers."

"Don't fight me on this baby beta," Stiles said sternly, "If it's to help you guys I'm going to do whatever is necessary."

Isaac stared at her for a moment, "Just be careful." He finally caved.

Stiles gave him a nod and got up from them, "You're coming back, right?" Micah asked weakly.

"Yeah," Stiles said strongly as she took one last look at her friends weakening before her eyes, "I'd _never_ leave any of you behind."

Wordlessly, Stiles opened the vault and walked out. The moment she stepped out the stone door and it scrapped closed, she proceeded down the hall as the lights in the hall basement flickered. Stiles stopped briefly and looked around before pulling up the sleeve of her shirt. On her left arm, the shade of red was now getting darker.


	14. Weaponized(2)

**Since Tyler H. isn't a season regular on TW season 5. I've decided that this is the LAST season for Hellmouth. Everything will be wrapped up accordingly and hopefully there will be no loose ends because those suck.**

Derek was now pacing in Braeden's hospital room, he too had been trying to reach Stiles, but he was getting nothing so far. He wasn't sure if it was because of what Kate had done to him or if Stiles had simply broke off the link again or if something was actually happening at the school.

In her hospital bed Braeden was watching Derek packing and slowly was getting annoyed, "Sit down," Braeden ordered him, "You're constant pacing is starting to get on my nerves."

"I don't like being told what to do."

"And I don't like people pacing around me," Braeden snapped back at him, "Melissa said it could be a false alarm. Relax."

"I can't." He gritted out.

"You getting something from Stiles?"

"No and that's exactly the problem."

In that moment, Melissa arrived to the room, "Derek. I think there's someone here you've been trying to find."

Derek looked at her confused until Satomi walked into the room.

* * *

><p>The Sheriff, Allison and Landon were still outside the school. The Sheriff was too pacing back and forth while Landon and Allison looked at the tent worriedly, "Landon..." The Sheriff said getting his attention, "As all this is still very new to me, and I don't know how it works, I still have to ask. Do you have any kind of...indication?" He asked desperately, "Any kind of feeling about this? Is someone in there going to die?"<p>

"Yes." Landon said strongly. "And it's not just a feeling."

On the way back from the lake house, Landon had released a Reaper scream.

* * *

><p>Deaton explained to the adults what was going on, "It's a variant of canine distemper." He told them, "A few years ago, an outbreak in Yellowstone killed 40% of the wolf population."<p>

"What's it going to do to _our_ wolf population?" Melissa asked worriedly.

"Well, it's been altered to infect quite a bit faster." Deaton explained to them.

"You mean it's been _weaponized_?" Derek realized, "Which is probably why Stiles and I can't communicate." He at least hoped that was the reason.

"It infected my whole pack." Satomi said gravely.

"Everyone except for you." Deaton pointed out, "That's the real question. Did you not get infected? Or are you immune?"

* * *

><p>Stiles had managed to keep her power in check by time she made it to the CDC's triage area. Natalie noticed Stiles walking and noticed how pale and sweaty Stiles appeared to be and the red lines that were now running down her neck, "Stiles, you're not looking so good, maybe you ought to lie down." She told her with some concern.<p>

"I'm okay," Stiles assured her, "Have you seen Mr. Yukimura?"

"Yeah, he's fine," Ms. Martin led her to bed and forced her to lay down, "He's helping the other students."

"Okay." She said with some relief, but just cross the way she spotted Coach Finstock in one of the beds, "Is Coach the only adult who got sick today?" She asked quickly getting up.

"As far as I know." Natalie told her, looking over at the unconscious man.

"Why is he..." She asked right before she felt herself raise off the ground away from the bed just a bit before crashing into the ground.

"Stiles?" Natalie asked now even more concerned when she spotted Stiles on the floor, "I think you should back lie down."

Stiles shook her head as Ms. Martin helped her up, "Yeah, no, it's okay." She assured her, "I'll be back, I'll be right back." She said as she headed off once again.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, "If your pack was infected, then who was doing all the shooting at the entrance to the woods?" Deaton asked Satomi.<p>

"Apparently another assassin." Satomi shared with them, "Personally, I'd rather face a gun than a variant of smallpox."

"Sounds like you're going to get plenty of chances." Melissa commented.

When Derek looked over at Satomi he realized that the woman had been staring at him, "Sorry." The Alpha apologized, "I just noticed how much you remind me of Talia. I used to visit her a lot, you know. Do you remember me?"

Derek gave a small smile, "I remember the tea." He told her, "You always brought that tea that smelled terrible."

"I brought that tea as a _gift_." She said with a smile of her own, "Your mother loved it."

"What kind of tea?" Deaton asked suddenly.

"What?"

"The tea with the smell," Deaton pressed, "What kind was it?"

"Reishi." She said with certainty, "Wild purple reishi. It's very rare."

"It's also a very _powerful_ remedy for sickness." Deaton explained to the confused looks in the room, "Satomi, you didn't get infected because you've been inoculated."

"Okay, okay." Melissa said with hope now that they found a possible cure, "How rare is it? Can we find it? "

"We don't have to." Derek said with confidence, "My mother kept some of it. It's in our vault. Someone needs to get to the school."

"Can't you just link with Stiles and tell her?"

"Not if she's infected as well."

"If that's the case someone needs to get there quickly," Deaton told them, "Because even though it may not kill her. It'll definitely tamper with her ability to control her power."

* * *

><p>In the vault, the jar Kira had settled down earlier was filled with the cure that they needed. Micah and Isaac were now hunched over the floor. Scott looked over and noticed that Micah was holding onto a piece of paper that he had found in Stiles' jacket.<p>

"Micah?" Scott questioned when he saw a confused expression fall upon the werecoyote's face.

Micah released a heavy breath, "I can't see." Micah spoke aloud, "I can't see anything."

Just before Isaac lost his eyesight, he realized that Micah had been holding onto the altered third piece of the dead pool, "That makes two of us."

"Make that three." Scott told just before his vision went dark.

* * *

><p>Stiles was tearing through the coach's office looking for something that might have caused him to become ill. Unfortunately, she found nothing, but does noticed a stack of Permission SlipLiability Release Forms.

The top few were stamped with "APPROVED" in red but midway through, the color had become fainter and fainter until coach changed to black ink.

Stiles eyes fell onto black ink fingerprints on a coffee mug and remembered how each student had to ink their thumbs before taking the PSAT.

Then it dawned her that the ink pad was the source of the outbreak just as "The Chemist" stepped into the room with a hand gun aimed right at her.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Coach woke up in the isolation area, "What the hell is going on?" Coach demanded, looking around the sealed off area.<p>

"The lesions are gone." Natalie realized as she looked at Sydney's arm.

"Can I take the test again now?" Sydney asked.

The rash that had appeared on her arm was now gone, "They're getting better." Natalie announced with relief, "They're all getting better."

* * *

><p>Stiles was now in the locker room with the Chemist right behind her, "I was wondering how that idiot got sick." He told her, Stiles turned to face him. He still had the gun pointed at her, "I'm also wondering where your friends are. Since in order to get paid by the benefactor, I need to have proof they're dead."<p>

"Visual confirmation." Stiles said without a hint of fear in her voice.

"Exactly."

* * *

><p>All though it appeared that all the normal students of Beacon Hills High were somehow recovering, the supernatural students who were still in the vault were not doing so well.<p>

"What's happening to us?" Micah asked. He was feeling worse and worse by the second.

"I can't..." Kira's voice filled the air, "I can't see..." She said patting against one of the walls. And Scott was struggling to stand as his eye glowed the Alpha Red.

* * *

><p>"Still a bit feverish, Ms. Stilinski." The Chemist noticed the shaking of Stiles' body, "But you should know something, the virus doesn't kill humans, you'll get better." He assured her with an evil smile, "So don't you think you should tell me where they are? Shouldn't one of you get to live?"<p>

"I think I saw them in the library." Stiles said easily, "Or it might've been the cafeteria." She feigned ignorance, "It was definitely one of those two." She told him nodding her head.

The Chemist was not amused by Stiles antics, "I'm going to count to three, and then I'm going to kill you."

"Think you can scare me?" She challenged him, eyeing the gun.

"No, I think I can kill you." The Chemist said plainly as he placed the barrel of the gun right on top of her head, "I just thought the countdown would make it more exciting." Stiles could feel her body started to shake, "So... One..." He counted cocking the trigger. Stiles closed her eyes and had refused to move at all, "Two..."

A gunshot filled the air and Stiles opened her eyes to find the Chemist had a hole in the middle of his head. She started to breathe very quickly before falling to ground. She didn't make to the ground completely when she was aware that Agent McCall, in a hazmat suit, was right by her side, "Where the hell did you come from?" Stiles asked trying not to have a panic attack. And more importantly not sending the agent flying across the room.

"Stiles, listen." Agent McCall pressed as he gripped her face, "I got a call from Melissa. I don't know what it means. She said there's an antidote. It's in a vault, reishi mushrooms."

Stiles' mind was still going wild as to what was happening, "Wait, what in a vault?" She asked.

"It's in a jar on one of the shelves." Agent McCall told her, "She said to tell Scott, it's in the vault."

Still in a state of shock, Stiles looked at him wide-eyed and slowly backed away before fully turning away and leaving the locker room. Agent McCall was left standing alone and confused at Stiles' reaction and the red lines he noticed running down her neck.

* * *

><p>Derek and Satomi were now waiting on the elevator before leaving the hospital, "I have to get to the school." Derek told Satomi, "Stiles needs me. They all need me."<p>

"Ah, she's your mate," Satomi noted and Derek gave her a head nod, "I'll handle the others at Lookout Point."

At that moment, the girl, Melissa had passed in the hospital hallway earlier, exited the elevator, gun in hand. Without hesitation, she fired on both werewolves.

Derek was quick to dive in front of Satomi. But the old alpha simply dodged the bullets "matrix style" while walking right up to the assassin and stabbing the girl in the neck, killing her.

Derek looked at the woman in shock, "I may have learned to control my anger," Satomi said with a sly smile, "But I still know when to _use_ it."

* * *

><p>Stiles was banging on the outside door of the Hale vault, "Hey, Scott? Scotty?" She cried out in a panic, "In the vault, in there with you. It's called reishi mushrooms." But she doesn't get answer. On the inside of the vault Scott was leaning on the vault door, "Scott? Scott, open the door!" She demanded and started to pound onto the door, "It's in there with you. It's in a jar, it's on one of the shelves." But again she heard nothing.<p>

Now focusing on her power Stiles attempted materialize her way through, but realized she couldn't so she next the next best thing. She focused on trying conjure up enough force just to open the door, but couldn't. It dawned on her in that exact moment that the infection was now causing her not to be able to use her power, even though the red markings were still visible, "Scott!" She cried out and started to pound on the door once more, "Scott, can you hear me?" But she heard nothing and Stiles released a broken scream.

"Reishi... Scott, I saw it." Kira remembered on the ground. Everyone in the vault were close to death already, "In a jar on one of the shelves." She informed him.

Scott managed to stand and using his enhanced vision notice the mushrooms glowing brightly. He stumbled and crawled over to the shelf and managed to knock the jar off. It shattered on the floor and the mushroom spores fill the air.

Back outside the vault, Stiles was still helplessly pounding on the bottom of door still getting no results. She continued on and on until the door suddenly opened by itself. She looked up from the ground in shock as Scott fell in front of her, but when their eyes connected Scott's eyes were glowing red as the red markings on Stiles' neck glowed a dark red.

The two friends stare at each other, both relieved that the other was okay as Stiles grabbed him into a tight hug with a heavy sigh just as the hall lights around them exploded, but an invisible force field covered them protecting them from the broken glass.

* * *

><p>Sheriff Stilinski, Allison, and Landon were now rushing inside the school, "Excuse us, excuse us." They all said trying to find their loved ones.<p>

Landon caught site of his mother, "Mom." He cried out to her and rushed into her arms, "Mom." He said with great relief.

"Landon! I'm sorry," She told her son as she gripped him tightly, "I'm so sorry. I was just... trying to get a little overtime."

The Sheriff and Allison were still looking for the others, when Allison caught site of the others coming from downstairs, "Scott!" She cried as she rushed in for a hug. Scott caught her effortlessly.

"You're okay." The Sheriff said as soon as Stiles and the others came up. The Sheriff gripped his daughter into hug, despite the blood spatter that remained on her face, "You're okay." He whispered into Stiles' ear, "You too, Isaac." The Sheriff said gripping the beta into the Stilinski family hug.

"I need to go find my Dad," Kira told them, "I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Micah." Allison said, noticing how quiet he had been, but she got ignored as the werecoyote walked passed them ignoring them.

"He knows." Isaac told them as Micah walked away cooly.

* * *

><p>Stiles was in her room staring at the mirror. Her face was now clear of the Chemist's blood, but it was like she could still feel the stickiness. She shook herself away from the mirror and laid down in her bed.<p>

**FLASHBACK**

"So it's you." Katashi speaks while his is currently bleeding from his mouth and the stomach wound he has gotten during the battle. The attack was sudden and no one knew actually where the threat had come from, but now the head of the Yakuza stands alone. None of his men are alive. Just like the men from his first encounter with the Oni. Only it is something entirely different.

"No time no speak." Nogitsune Stiles says with a smirk playing from face as she steps out of the shadow. She looks bored at the bodies that surround them before turning her attention back to the Yakuza, "Quite the promotion you got here. Last time I saw you were nothing, but a lowly bodyguard. Look at you now ordering people around... Well you were."

"I know what you want." Katashi breathes out heavily, "And it's not going to happen."

"Actually you're mistaken." She tells him stalking her way over to him, "I will get what I want. Even if it means I gotta rid of a few people along the way."

"Stop right there," Katashi orders her. The only between them is the barrel of the gun that is pointing right her. Only Stiles seems quite unbothered by the entire situation, "We should've killed you a long time ago."

"Sorry to disappoint." Nogitsune Stiles comments in a feign sincerity, "But unfortunately those fireflies aren't here to help you."

Not even deterred by the words Katashi still pulls the trigger and shoot at Stiles. Only before the bullet can even make impact the Nogitsune Stiles raises her hand up as it freezes in place, leaving Katashi shock.

"That's the thing about a human being soul-bonded to werewolf," Stiles states, "They have to have some way to defend themselves." She tilts her head to the side, "Normally, I'd kill you with my bare hands, but since I'm running on a tight schedule..."

With a flick of her wrist, the bullet quickly changes direction and impales the Yakuza, as the blood splatters on her face, and he dies.

**END FLASHBACK**

Derek had been ready to lay down himself, in his bed at the loft. He didn't want Stiles to see the graze wound and told her he would explain everything later and that she needed to rest. In the seconds few he had to close his eyes, Stiles materialized in his bed. Derek had thought nothing of it since it was symptom of her having another nightmare.

However, what Derek doesn't notice was the red markings forming around her arm as they slowly got darker and darker.

It wasn't until the red turned black, does Stiles abruptly filled the silent loft with terrorized screams. Derek immediately woke up to the sound and noticed that the black markings and tried to take a hold of her, only it doesn't quite work.

The black marking only appeared and from what he could gather it meant she was dreaming she was killing someone again. It also meant that the force field began to form around them just at the large window began to rattle and the table in the middle began to levitate in the air.

Derek quickly jumped into action as he took a hold of her shoulders, "Stiles, you're okay!" He shouted to her as he tried to wake her up, "Open your eyes!"

At the sound of the command, Stiles opened her eyes and everything around ceased. The table toppled to the floor as Stiles looked around confused, "I was..." She looked at Derek completely scared, "In my room. Oh God." She whispered as her voice began to break, "It's happened again."

"No it's not." Derek assured her as he pulled her close and rubbed a gentle hand through her hair, "You're fine. Just another nightmare."

Stiles slowly relaxed at the touch while the black started to fade from her arms, "I'm sorry."

"Don't," Derek whispered to her softly as he laid them back down together, "Just go back to sleep."

Stiles does nothing, but comply as she immediately fell asleep as Derek pulled her close to him. Derek knew it was getting worse. Whatever, Kate had done to him was effecting Stiles just as bad.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"This isn't going to get me killed is it?" Danny questioned them.

"No," Stiles told him, "Unless you're a supernatural creature who had somehow managed not be on the list."

Danny remained silent and began typing, "_That's_ your assassin speak?" Stiles criticized as she observed his response on the laptop.

"I said he's dead." Danny told her, "What more do you want?"

"Danny you disappoint me." Stiles expressed, "It was a little dry." For that she received an eye roll from both Allison and Danny, "You could've said something like, "Target has been neutralized. The crow flies at midnight." That's always cool."

XXXX

At the lake house, Natalie showed Landon a scrap of paper, "This was the last thing your grandmother wrote down before she died." Landon looked over the paper curiously as his mother continued talking, "Don't even know why I kept it because it's basically nonsense."

"Are you _absolutely_ sure Grandma's dead?" Landon asked.

"Yes." Ms. Martin said, but a split second she seemed unsure herself, "I mean, she has to be."

"This isn't nonsense, Mom." Landon told her, "It's code." The scrap of paper included what looked to be like the Benefactor's code.


	15. Time of Death(1)

In the Sheriff's Station, Agent McCall removed the rounds from his clip and placed them and his gun into evidence bags. Hours had passed since he shot The Chemist. He placed his phone on the table and started to make recording, "Preliminary notes on firearm discharge incident. Assailant armed with sound-suppressor equipped Walther P88... Having heard the perpetrator's threat and countdown, I made visual confirmation of the barrel of the weapon pressed to the potential victim's head."

Just out the room, Scott had been listening to his father making the incident report, "Determining the danger to be imminent, I felt no other choice but to respond with the use of deadly force." Agent McCall concluded. Once he had every settled he met with Scott out the room, "Thanks for waiting. I know it's late." He told Scott.

"It's okay." Scott told his father, "It's not like I'm going to be going to school tomorrow anyway."

"Unfortunately, I'm going to have to drive back to San Francisco tonight." The Agent told him and Scott looked a bit surprise, "I'll need to do a review at the field office. But I'll be back as soon as I can. I might have to miss the first game of the season."

"It's no big deal."

"It is to me." Agent McCall countered easily, "I'm keeping my promises this time." He reminded Scott, "What I did, it was necessary. Justifiable. You know that, right?"

"Have you done it before?" Scott asked.

"Two other times." Agent McCall admitted, "It's not easy, taking a man's life, even someone who _forces_ you to do it."

"How do you deal with it?" He asked. He would've asked Stiles, but there was just somethings that Stiles couldn't talk about without breaking down or shutting them out completely.

"You looking at it logically." He told his son as they headed out the station, "Without emotion. You compartmentalize."

"How do you do that?"

"I used to do it by drinking." Agent McCall said quietly. Scott then embraced his father, "One more thing." He told him as they broke apart, "When I do come back, we have to talk about some stuff." Scott gave him a questioning look, "You and your friends, the way you guys handle things, it doesn't seem to faze you like it should. It's like you guys know something I don't. When I come back, I'd like to be in the know."

* * *

><p><strong>FLASHBACK<strong>

The pack, along with Liam, are gathered around in the McCall kitchen, "Is three enough?" Kira questions them.

"Depends on how many cameras they have." Stiles tells her as she sets up the laptops, "But I think so."

"Are we really doing this?" Allison asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"We're doing it." Scott presses at them, "Tonight."

"But isn't it kind of dangerous?" Liam asks not sure if anyone had thought out the plan all the way through.

"It's incredibly dangerous." Stiles says with no assurance, "And borderline idiotic." Stiles says looking straight at Scott, "I thought I said we weren't going to do something like this again."

"You guys done something like this before?"

"Something dangerous?" Isaac asks Liam, "Or something idiotic?"

"I think it's a yes to both." Kira whispers to Liam.

"You don't have to be part of it if you don't want to." Scott assures his beta.

"I'm not scared." Liam responds easily,

"Then you're borderline idiotic." Stiles tells him with an approving look on her face, "If we do this, we don't know what's coming for us. You know that, right?"

"How do we even know something's definitely coming?" Allison questions them.

"Because the tape from Garrett's bag said visual confirmation is required." Scott explains to them.

"Simon said the same thing." Stiles shares confirming Scott's words, "He couldn't get paid by The Benefactor until he had proof that you guys were dead."

"So the idea is," Scott shares with them, "What if you kill someone on the dead pool, but you can't send the proof?"

"You don't get paid." Kira answers as she is trying to piece the pieces together.

"But how does that get us any closer to The Benefactor?" Liam questions.

"He still needs to know if the target is really dead." Isaac explains to him.

"Especially if it's someone _high_ on the list." Stiles inputs.

"So, if he wants visual confirmation..."

"He's going to have to come get it himself." Scott concludes.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>An ambulance rushed it's way to the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital, the paramedics rushed through the emergency room entrance, "Move, move, move!" The EMTs shouted trying to get the hallway cleared.<p>

"We need ECG." A nurse shouted to the room, but they still weren't getting a response, "He's flat-lining..." The nurse informed the attending doctor. He also just so happened to be Liam's stepfather.

"Get him to trauma 2." He ordered, "Start another IV."

While team members were doing as they were told a nurse started doing chest compressions, while Liam's stepfather started up the defibrillator, "Clear!" He shouted.

But it appeared to have done nothing as the monitor continued to flatline, "Still asystole." He yelled into the room, "Continue chest compressions and charge to 360. Clear!"

The monitor continued it's flat line signal, "I'm calling it." He announced to the room, "Time of death 2102 hours. Would someone please page Melissa McCall?"

* * *

><p><strong>FLASHBACK<strong>

Stiles suddenly wakes up in a gasps and feels familiar arms tightening around her waist. It takes a second her to realize that it is Derek sleeping with his chest against her back. Hours have pass since the incident at the school and hours since her nightmare. She notices that Derek has a blood stain on the side of his hip seeping through his white tank. She looks at it cautiously and wonders why he is bleeding.

Careful not to wake him, she silently turns over on her side, sits up slowly, and lifts up his shirt and sees the gunshot wound Derek has gotten, just before Stiles can get a real good look at the damage, Derek's hand comes up and takes a hold of her wrist, "What are you doing?" Derek asks her. She looks down to see him staring right her with his eyes wide open.

She looks back his tank and looks over the wound once again, "Why aren't you healing?" She asks countering his question.

"Some wounds take longer." Derek tells her brushing off her question.

Stiles squints her eyes at him, "And some leave scars." She says knowingly placing her hand over the Alpha scars on the side of her hip, "I'm not an idiot, Derek. What's going on?"

"Maybe I'm just tired."

"Derek." Stiles presses him, "I know something is happening with you. I can't feel the bond anymore and I can't control my power like I'm supposed to. At first, I thought it was because of the infection, but I'm starting to think it is something else. I seriously hope you aren't possessed." She tells him trying to make a joke, but it falls flat between them.

"Don't worry I'm not." Derek assures her.

"Then show me your eyes."

"You just saw them." Derek quirks at her and pulls her into his arms.

"That's not what I mean and you know it," She tells him gently, "I saw them glow a different color after you rescued us from the berserkers at the school," She confesses to him and Derek starts to move away, but Stiles gently cups his face, "Hey. Don't." She whispers, "Don't shut me out. Not now."

Derek looks at Stiles for a second before he gives her an eye blank. As a result, Stiles sees that his eyes no longer have a werewolf glow anymore, "Okay." She tells him rubbing a thumb across his face, "Okay."

Derek remains quiet as he pulls her closer and closes his eyes. However, Stiles stays awake until he is fully asleep before quietly getting up and places a bandage on the wound.

"Welcome to Team Human." She whispers quietly before she grabs her phone and starts texting someone.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>Melissa was being escorted into the room by nurse who wasn't giving her any answers to the questions she had been asking, "Now, why don't you tell me what's really going on?"<p>

However, her mood suddenly changed when she spotted Scott's dead body in the middle of the ER room and she released a scream that echoed through the halls of the hospital. She collapsed to the floor in obvious pain after learning about Scott's death, "What happened to my son?" She cried into the Doctor's shoulder.

* * *

><p><strong>FLASHBACK<strong>

Earlier in the afternoon, Scott, Liam, Kira and Noshiko Yukimura were gathered around Scott's bed, "Are you guys totally _sure_ about this?" Liam asks them nervously.

"I think Liam's kind of nervous." Kira tells Scott, but he isn't the only one, "Maybe you should tell him it's going to be all right."

"It's going to be all right." Scott tells him.

"So, you've done this before, right?" Liam asks Noshiko.

"I've seen it done." She offers to the young werewolf.

"Is that just as good?"

"No."

"Mom," Kira says with a strain in her voice, "You're not inspiring confidence."

"Good." Ms. Yukimura tells her daughter, "This is a _terrible_ idea."

"Do you want us to do it without you?" Kira challenges her mother. Noshiko isn't surprised by Kira's challenge.

"Put your hand over his heart." Noshiko tells her daughter, but Scott stops Kira from even moving her hand.

"Hold on. What happens while I'm out?" He questions Ms. Yukimura, "Am I gonna feel anything?"

"It might feel like you're dreaming." She offers to him.

"Good dreams or bad?"

"I suppose that depends on you."

Noshiko gives Kira the go ahead and Kira places her hand over Scott's heart as she releases foxfire which causes him to seize and gasp.

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Melissa had regained her composure. She entered the morgue where Scott's body lied. The pack was there as well, along with Noshiko, "I still hate this plan." She told them as she wiped off her face, "I mean this is pretty significantly terrifyingly. He looks dead."<p>

"Give me your hand." Noshiko told her gently, Melissa looked uncertain for a second, "It's okay."

Melissa handed her hand over to her and Noshiko placed it right over Scott's heart, but Melissa could only feel the coolness of Scott's body.

"Wait for it." Stiles told her gently. She had to go through the whole process herself. They all had to. Melissa suddenly felt a small heartbeat and she smiled with some relief.

"Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?" Melissa asked.

"Enough for an Alpha." Noshiko told her.

"How much time do we have?"

"Forty-five minutes."

"What happens after that?"

"I bring him back the same way." Kira told her.

"No, I mean what happens if he stays like this longer than forty-five minutes?" Melissa asked the group in general.

The group fell silent as Noshiko looked dumbfounded at them, "No one's told her?"

"What?" Melissa asked now confused when no one answered the question, "What happens after forty-five minutes?"

"He dies."

* * *

><p>Allison and Stiles, along with their good friend Danny, were now working on their part of the plan in Argent weapon's cage, "This isn't going to get me killed is it?" Danny questioned them.<p>

"No," Stiles told him, "Unless you're a supernatural creature who had somehow managed not be on the list."

Danny remained silent and began typing, "_That's_ your assassin speak?" Stiles criticized as she observed his response on the laptop.

"I said he's dead." Danny told her, "What more do you want?"

"Danny you disappoint me." Stiles expressed, "It was a little dry." For that she received an eye roll from both Allison and Danny, "You could've said something like, "Target has been neutralized. The crow flies at midnight." That's always cool."

The computer beeped as The Benefactor requested visual confirmation, "Type this," Stiles directed towards him, ""Visual confirmation isn't possible." "Police coming to claim body in forty minutes.""

However, The Benefactor was still dead set on getting the visual confirmation that was desired, Allison got frustrated and took the computer away from him, "Number one on the list is dead. I killed him." She read as she typed out the statement, "And if the wire transfer isn't completed in forty minutes...I'm coming after you." Allison pressed the enter key.

"That's one way to do it." Danny commented as they got ready to leave.

* * *

><p>Derek was about ready to head out when he heard someone banging on his loft door. He wasn't expecting anyone so he was on guard when he opened the door, "She didn't." Derek stated when he found Braeden right on the other side. She was wearing a smug look.<p>

"She did," Braeden claimed as she made her way into the loft, "She gave me a small rundown on what was going on with you."

"It's just a graze." Derek said in an annoyed tone. He even told Stiles that, but she wasn't having any of his excuses.

"That's probably something you've never had to worry about before, is it?" Braeden questioned him, only for her to get a glare from him. But it doesn't bother her one bit, "So, it's everything then? No glowing eyes, no healing."

"No hearing, speed, everything."

"Including the bond," She stated, "Strength?"

"I don't know what she has told you, but I can still win a fight." Derek told her.

Braeden placed her arm on the metal table in the arm wrestle stance, "You ready?" She challenged him.

Derek got into position himself, "Mmm-hmm."

"One, two..." Braeden counted as they started to arm wrestle. As they begun, she poked him in his bullet wound (because he was an idiot and didn't want Stiles to heal him) and Derek flinched in pain and quickly lost.

"You cheated." Derek shot at her, "That's cheating..."

"I won." Braeden said plainly, "When you're a human facing off against the supernatural, you need to _bend_ the rules a little bit." She readied herself, back into position, "I'm gonna teach you how to bend."

* * *

><p>On the roof of the Hospital, Chris Argent attached a device that taps the building's internal security cameras, "Try it now." Chris told Stiles over the phone.<p>

In an empty patient room, Stiles, Isaac, Liam, and Kira had set up the laptops. With a single keystroke, all three light up with multiple images from the hospital's security cameras.

* * *

><p>Scott was now awake. Only he was inside one of the refrigerated vaults at the hospital's morgue. When he looked behind him, the narrow square container seems to go on forever. He crawled through and emerges from a locker in the darkened hallway of Beacon Hills High School.<p>

"Catch!" Liam's voice suddenly filled his ears, just as Liam tossed a lacrosse ball aimed for Scott's head. Scott caught it with no problem, "That's why you're team captain." Liam told him with a smile before he jogged off down the hall and into a classroom.

Scott quickly followed, but Liam was gone. Instead, there was a laptop open on the teacher's desk making a beeping sound. As Scott made his way over to the desk he noticed that on the screen, The Benefactor's code scrolled to a stop and the "Keyword" prompt flashed. Without even thinking, Scott typed in his own name and a list suddenly appeared.

THE MUTE

THE ORPHANS

THE CHEMIST

"I can't do that." Scott said aloud, he realized exactly what it was, "I can't kill them."

"Someone has to." Allison said suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the Alpha." Liam's voice told him.

"I'm not a murderer." Scott told them.

"But you are a predator." Allison pointed out to him.

"No." Scott said backing away from the two, "We're predators... But we don't have to... We don't have to..." He struggled to remember the rest, but couldn't.

He slammed the laptop shut and turned to see the Mute removing his tomahawk from Liam's back. "Scott!" Liam cried out, "Scott, please!" Scott stood in shock, "Scott, help me!"

The Mute placed his finger over the area where his mouth should be in the "shush" motion before raring back with the weapon and slamming it down into Liam again and Liam cried out in pain once more.

* * *

><p>Micah was exploring the Hale Vault. His phone rang and he sees that a call from Isaac. Instead of answering he turned it off.<p>

His eye landed on the safe and he ripped off the handle and opened it. Inside there was a folder labeled _"Micah Tate – Adoption Records."_

Peter then showed up and noticed the folder Micah held in his hand, "I've gotta buy a better safe." He commented.

* * *

><p>Chris and Allison were now a in hospital corridor. Chris had a timer that read 28:01 (a countdown until they have to revive Scott).<p>

Outside the hospital, Noshiko and Melissa were sitting in Kira's car watching people come and go in hopes of spotting a stranger that might be The Benefactor. The countdown on Melissa's phone now read "00:26:44."

"What about him?" Noshiko asked as she watched a man walk into the hospital entrance through the rearview mirrior.

"No," Melissa sighed tired as she looked for herself, "He's in here every week with a new self-diagnosis." Melissa voiced.

"Hypochondriac?"

"Prescription drug addict." Melissa said. They watched a few more people going in and out of the hospital, "Why are we doing this?" She questioned Noshiko, "Why are we asking them to fight these kinds of fights?"

Noshiko looked at her knowingly, "Because otherwise we'd be asking them to run and hide." Noshiko said thoughtfully. Melissa looked down at the countdown on her phone. It read "00:26:44."

* * *

><p>Stiles and Danny met up with Liam, Isaac, and Kira in the empty patient room at the hospital. They were looking at the monitors, until the camera feed from the roof started to glitch, "Is that supposed to look like that?" Liam asked noticing it first.<p>

"No." Danny told him as he tried to gain back the signal, "No, it's not."

"Where is that?" Kira asked.

"The roof." He informed her, "Someone's gonna have to check it out." He told them, but he was directing the statement at Stiles.

Stiles noticed the look that the werecreatures were giving her, especially Isaac, "No way are you going." Stiles told him, knowing exactly what he was trying to do.

"I'll go." Kira offered as she readied herself to leave the room.

"Whoa, whoa." Stiles told her as well, "This might not just be a malfunction."

"That's why I'm bringing this." Kira told her as she held up her sword.

"I'm coming with you." Liam told her as well. Isaac gave Stiles a look. A look that clearly said 'You have no choice.'

"Okay." Stiles said in defeated and took a hold of Isaac's hand. Isaac could feel a warm sensation cover his body as red began to appear on Stiles' skin, "You three coming right back." She told them in an authoritative voice as she took a hold of Kira and Liam's hand, _"Immediately."_

The Kitsune and beta werewolves gave her head nods and rushed out the room. Stiles released a heavy sigh and muttered to herself, "Kids." Just before she focused her attention back to the computer screens and Danny, "You should probably get out of here too."

"So you and Isaac really are dating?"

"Yeah."

"No you're not." Danny replied easily, "That's just a lie you told Coach."

"I'm not even going to ask how you know."

"Easy, your 'cousin'," Danny air quoted, "Miguel wasn't exactly subtle about his behavior around you."

Stiles gave him a look of curiosity, "Just how much do you know?"

"Enough to not die in this town," Danny said easily, "Just like you guys try not to die tonight, alright?"

"Thanks for the advice." Stiles shouted out to him as he walked out the door. _One of them better not__._

* * *

><p>Back in the vault Peter had blocked Micah's way out, "I can't let you leave here with that." He told him.<p>

"Maybe you won't have a choice." Micah challenged him.

"Is that right?" Peter asked slightly amused.

"I think I could take you." Micah said with confidence.

"You've heard rumors I'm not as strong as I used to be." Peter said knowingly as he started to circle the boy.

"Something like that." Micah responded easily, without letting Peter out of his sight.

"I said you can't _leave_ with it." Peter told him, "I didn't say you couldn't _read_ it."

* * *

><p>In the boathouse at Landon's Grandmother's place, Landon was searching for clues to explain why Meredith would have been in a photograph taken in the lake house. He assured Allison that he would be okay by himself while they executed the plan that was in motion. Of course, he too had agreed that the plan was terrible.<p>

While rummage through the items, he heard footsteps and wheeled around with a paddle as a weapon only to come face to face with his mother, "Oh, God." Ms. Martin breathed out.

"Mom!" Landon said in surprise and quickly placed the paddle down, "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" His mother shot back at him.

Landon released a calming breath, "Nothing." He lied, "And how did you know I was here? Did you follow me?"

"No, I'm getting ready for the Open House tomorrow."

"The Open House is next week." Landon told her, calling her out on her own lie.

"Okay, I followed you." Natalie confessed, "Honey, you come up here every weekend, sometimes even during the week, and as far as I can tell, there's no boy involved, so I really have no clue what you're up to."

"I'm trying to figure something out." Landon told her as he went back to going through the boathouse, "Something important. And honestly, Mom, you don't need to be involved in every single detail of my life."

"No." She agreed, "But I'd like to help if I can."

Landon gave his mother a curious look, before he held out the old photograph, "Do you know her?"

"Meredith Walker." Natalie said easily without Landon giving her the name.

* * *

><p>Scott was now awake. Only he was inside one of the refrigerated vaults at the hospital's morgue. When he looked behind him, the narrow square container seems to go on forever. He crawled through and emerges from a locker in the darkened hallway of Beacon Hills High School.<p>

"Catch!" Liam's voice suddenly filled his ears, just as Liam tossed a lacrosse ball aimed for Scott's head. Scott caught it with no problem, "That's why you're the Alpha."

Suddenly they were both in the locker room and Scott was examining his teeth in the mirror, "There's something different, isn't there?" Stiles asked taking Liam's place.

"I've got more fangs." Scott told her, "I noticed it during the quarantine. I don't know why."

"Maybe it's part of being an Alpha." Stiles told him as Scott stepped away from the mirror, "Like you're becoming more of a werewolf."

"Or more of a monster." Scott countered.

"What if it makes you stronger?" Stiles asked him, "What if it's like you're growing?"

Then the automated voice of The Mute filled the locker room, "Evolving."

Scott turned to face the voice when Stiles fell into his arms, a tomahawk sticking out from her back. Again, The Mute made the "shush" sign.

* * *

><p>On the hospital roof, a transformer began to sparking and surging, "Looks like someone did something to it." Liam commented.<p>

They then heard a growl and turned to see a Berserker walking toward them, "I think somebody did..." Kira commented as she took a defensive stance with her sword and Isaac flashed out his claws.

* * *

><p>The lights inside the hospital were flickering on and off, when Stiles caught up to with the Argents, "The power's out in the whole building." She told them, "I lost all the cameras."<p>

"Stay with Scott." Chris told Stiles, "Text me if you see or hear anything. Allison you come with me."

"Dad we only "18:02." left" Allison told him. Chris nod with confirmation and they both rushed away.

* * *

><p>Braeden had placed a gun on the table, after she had beaten Derek multiple times in the game of arm wrestling, "This is a Sig Sauer P2269mm." She explained to him.<p>

"I don't like guns." Derek commented.

"That's because you've never learned to use one."

"Or because I've been shot." Derek said in a tone, "_Repeatedly_. Not to mention Stiles has been held at gun point on multiple occasions."

"You'll like this one." Braeden reasoned to him, "The legal clip size in California is ten." She explained while holding up the weapon, "You always want to remember how many shots you fire. Running out of bullets can get you killed. It also makes you look stupid."

She slid the clip in and handed the weapon to Derek, "but using a gun isn't just about learning how to point and shoot."

"Why's that?" Derek questioned.

Braeden took a couple of steps back, "Because an average person can move twenty-one feet in one-point-five seconds." She shared with him, "If they have a knife, they can gut you before you can pull and fire. So with a gun, you need distance. Go for it. Pull the gun on me."

Derek did as instructed and Braeden was able to take it away from him quickly and easily, "So, yeah." Derek said now getting the point. He was also starting to see why Stiles had chosen Braeden in the first place.

"Wanna try again?" Braeden asked in a mocking tone.

Derek nodded in agreement and they were back to practicing the exercise over and over. And through each practice Braeden had managed to disarm Derek each time, "I could do this all day." Braeden told him clearly enjoying herself.

Derek then had an idea, "One more time." Derek told her.

They readied themselves once more, Braeden was ready to disarm Derek once more, "Ow ow," Derek claimed holding onto his side, "Hold on this wound is killing me."

"Are you okay?" Braeden asked as she stepped closer.

Instead of answering, Derek quickly grabbed a hold of her arm taking a hold of the gun and swooped his leg under causing her to fall the floor with the gun pointed right at her.

"You cheated." Braeden told him, when she realized she had been tricked and dropped kicked to the ground.

Derek gave her a smug look as he offered a hand to help her up off the ground.

* * *

><p>Micah was looking over the file. In it consisted his birth certificate and other pages. There was a paper labeled "Adoption Request." The page was torn and bloodied. While mostly obscured, the adopting parents' names were listed as "Evelyn Tate" and "Henry Tate." The agency handling the adoption was listed as "Beacon Adoption." Apparently a court hearing took place with a case number of "BDH093892."<p>

"You wanna talk about it?" Peter joked, while watching Micah's reaction, "See a family counselor?"

"There's nothing in there." Micah said frustrated.

"Cost me a lot of money to get that file." Peter said slightly offended.

"You got ripped off."

"You know what happens when you only hear one side of a story?" Peter asked him earning a distrustful look from Micah, "You've only heard one side of the story."

* * *

><p>On the roof, Kira, Isaac, and Liam took their shots at the berserker. Unfortunately, the force fields Stiles had placed on Isaac, Kira, and Liam were now down and Isaac was thrown right into Liam by the berserker.<p>

Kira managed to get some hits in with her sword before she too was taken out with a right hook to the jaw. While she struggled to remain conscious, Kira remembered discussing another plan with Stiles earlier in the day.

**FLASHBACK**

Kira and Stiles are watching Scott and Allison discussing the plan over again. It is clearly that they are both worried about the outcome.

"That's actually a good plan." Kira tells her, "But how do you know it will work? What if they don't want to?"

"Then I'll handcuff them together if I have to." Stiles whispers to her easily.

"Are you sure there will be time for it though?"

"They could make time."

"Even though people are dying all around us?"

"Okay." Stiles says realizing she has a point, "Maybe after that."

"That sounds like a plan." Kira agrees as she and Stiles both exchange smiles.

"What are you two smiling about?" Allison asks them, when she notices the exchange.

Kira and Stiles look at each other and both reply, "Nothing."

**END FLASHBACK**

Liam and Isaac struggled to wake Kira by pulling her to her feet. But it doesn't work as planned so Isaac threw her over his shoulder and the two werewolves retreating back from the berserker.

* * *

><p>Noshiko and Melissa were now inside hospital heading the room where Stiles had set up the computers – the kids were gone and the counter on the laptop read "00:16:13:21."<p>

Then they were surrounded by darkness, before the emergency lights came on, "I'm guessing the power doesn't go out often in this hospital." Noshiko said to Melissa as they exited room.

"Only when under attack by supernatural creatures."

* * *

><p>Stiles was still in the morgue and was frantically calling both Chris and Allison, "Come on, come on. Answer the phone." She said as the end of Chris' phone rang on her, but she got no response. She quickly dialed Allison's phone as well, "Answer the phone, Ally A." She pleaded to the ringing line, but no answer came. "Come on, Argents, why are you not answering the phone?" She asked.<p>

As if to give her an answer, both Allison and Chris both came flying through the door and landed on the floor, "I was right." Chris said.

"Stiles, get out of here." Allison told her.

But Stiles was confused as to why until Kate Argent stepped into the room, "Get out of the way, Stiles." The woman told her coolly, "I'm taking the body."

"Why?" Stiles questioned refusing to move an inch, "Visual confirmation?"

"Don't worry, sweetheart." Kate told her with a smirk, "I'm not The Benefactor."

"I personally find that hard to believe."

"What do you want with the body then?" Chris asked Kate.

"I wish I could tell you." Kate said as she made her way over to Stiles. However, she came to a sudden halt when she felt a barrel of a gun on the back of her head, "I _always_ forget you carry two." Kate said turning her attention to her brother.

* * *

><p>"You murdered people." Micah said to Peter after he explained his behavior for the previous year, "Not killed. Murdered."<p>

"There were extenuating circumstances."

"Like what?" Micah questioned sarcastically, "The fire?"

"A fire that nearly burned me alive." Peter shot at him, "Six years in a coma. Do you know what that's like for one of us?" He questioned him, "It's not a pleasant sleep. Imagine it. Being trapped in your body, but still being fully cognizant." Peter instructed him, "Unable to do anything other than listen to your own thoughts slowly driving you absolutely and totally insane, minute-by-minute, day-by-day. Yes, I've done horrible, terrible things. And so have a lot of people. And horrible, terrible things are going to keep happening. Especially when there's a dead pool with your name on it."

"But not yours." Micah threw at him.

"True. But I am not The Benefactor." Peter confessed to him, "I'm just a guy who's out millions of dollars. A few thousand of which I used trying to help you."

"Me?" Micah asked not hiding the doubt in his voice at all.

"How does the bad guy prove that he's not so bad?" Peter asked him, "By doing an act of kindness."

"What could you ever do for me?"

"Help you find your mother." Peter told him, this time it caught Micah's attention, "I'm pretty interested myself as seeing as I have no memory myself." Peter shared with him.

"Okay." Micah said interested, "What did you find?"

"A woman, might be her." Peter offered, "I don't have a name yet, just a particularly interesting alias. She's called The Desert Wolf." He then noticed a look on Micah's face, "Do you know what that means?"

"Coyote."

* * *

><p>"What the..." Noshiko commented. Ever since they had left the room, both she and Melissa have had run-ins with hospital workers that were running and screaming. None of them had even paid them attention and had continued running in terror.<p>

When Melissa and Noshiko turned a corner there was a Berserker, right inside the hall. The Berserker growled at them.

"Are you still a Kitsune?" Melissa asked her.

"Technically." Noshiko told her as they backed away down the hall just as the berserker charged right at them.

* * *

><p>At the lake house, Natalie removed an urn which Landon recognized as the ashes from someone who died at Eichen House, "These are your grandmother's ashes." Natalie told him.<p>

"Grandma died in Eichen House." Landon stated.

"Your father had a difficult relationship with his mother." Ms. Martin tried to explain, "But after the things she said, and the way she acted..."

"He thought she was crazy."

"Well, she said she heard things." His mother told him.

"Why did she want her ashes in here?" Landon questioned his mother.

"Well, actually, she didn't." Ms. Martin told him as they faced the lake, "She left instructions to have them spread across the lake."

"How come you haven't done it?"

"Because she wanted you to do it." Which shocked Landon, "When you turned eighteen. Don't ask me why. But since there's only a few weeks till that, I suppose now is as good a time as any."

Natalie headed over the urn to Landon who opened it, but instead of ashes Landon easily realized that it was something else, "Mom, these aren't Grandma's ashes."

"What do you mean?" Ms. Martin asked confused, "Of course they are."

"No." Landon told her as he took hold of small pile of the ash in his hands, "It's Mountain Ash." He then casted a handful of the stuff toward the opening to the lake and it fell in a perfect line, "The whole building." He realized, looking around, "It's all made of Mountain Ash." He also realized that he had just laid down the final part of the protective seal.


	16. Time of Death(2)

**So I'll be out in the woods of the 29th. So there will be an update tmrw with both parts of Perishable. Then updating will resume on April 5th.**

In the morgue, Chris had his gun pointed at Kate, "Back off!"

"You sure you can pull the trigger _fast_ enough?" Kate questioned her brother, not blinking.

"I don't want to." Chris informed his sister.

"You're not going to kill me." Kate said without hesitation as she made her way closer to Scott's body, only to get knocked back by the force field Stiles had placed around his body.

"You're not taking his body," Stiles told her in a hard tone, "You're not taking anyone tonight. Not again."

Kate smirked, "How is Derek, by the way?"

"Leave her alone Kate," Chris told his sister, "Your business tonight isn't with them. It's with us."

"Listen to him, Kate." Allison pleaded to her aunt, "We have a plan."

"If killing Scott was part of it, you're worse than me." Kate told her family.

"She's telling the truth." Chris told Kate, "We're trying to get to The Benefactor."

"If you didn't notice, you're on that list too." Stiles pointed out sternly, "And you're worth _more_ than most."

"That's why I'm here." Kate claimed, her eyes fell down to Chris' timer which read "03:04" and she gave her brother a questioning look.

"Back off and let us do what we planned." Chris told her, "Take the Berserkers, and go. Kate, please. We have a plan."

* * *

><p>Liam was battered and bleeding and so was Isaac as they were once facing with the Berserker once again, "Liam, run." Isaac told the young beta as he was still supporting Kira under his arm, "Get out of here."<p>

Instead of doing as he was told Liam raised from the ground, eyes glowing yellow, for another attack. He jumped on top of a transformer bank and diving at the Berserker, only to get knocked down hard onto the ground.

"Liam!" Isaac called out as Liam seemed to have been injured by the attack.

Just as the Berserker was bearing down over the fallen beta, a howl filled the air. The Berserker immediately stopped and turned away. Leaving Liam and Isaac panting heavily with relief.

* * *

><p>Scott was now awake. Only he was inside one of the refrigerated vaults at the hospital's morgue. When he looked behind him, the narrow square container seems to go on forever. He crawled through and emerges from a locker in the darkened hallway of Beacon Hills High School.<p>

"Catch!" Liam's voice suddenly filled his ears, just as Liam tossed a bloody tomahawk as it wizzed at his head.

Scott noticed Liam was lying at his feet, bleeding from a tomahawk wound in his chest, "Why did you do that?" His beta whimpered to him.

The Mute suddenly appeared behind Scott and took the hand holding the tomahawk, "Let me help you." The automated voice told him, "Let me show you how." Scott then began to chop at Liam on his own. His fangs extended, his eyes going red and blood spray covered his face.

Suddenly Scott was back in the real morgue and he's screaming. Allison rushed to his side and gave him a kiss and it seemed to calm him down, "What happened?" Scott asked them, "Did it work?"

The pack shook their heads "no". Before Scott could question them any farther Liam came rushing in to morgue giving Kira a worried look, "What?" Kira asked him.

"It's your mother..." Liam said, biting his lower lip, "She's hurt."

* * *

><p>Noshiko was laying in the middle of the hallway, she was bleeding profusely from a wound in her side and started to nod off, "Hey!" Melissa told her gently smacking her face, "Stay with me."<p>

Out of nowhere, Liam's stepfather appeared, "What the hell happened here?" He questioned Melissa.

"Just help me get her off the floor." Melissa demanded ignoring his question.

* * *

><p>In the sewers, Kate reported back to Peter, "You were right." She told him out of breath, "He's still alive."<p>

Peter turned to her, "Thank God." Peter said with a some relief.

* * *

><p>Micah was in Stiles' room when she and Isaac got home. Stiles noticed that he was staring at the part of the Dead Pool that included his real name "Micah Hale."<p>

"Where have you been?" Stiles asked gently.

"Talking to Peter."

"Okay." Stiles said, "You think that's a good idea?"

"If he can help me find my mother, I don't think I care." Micah told her.

But Isaac could see that something was still bothering him, "You might be related to him," Isaac told him, "But you're not like him."

"Maybe I am." Micah said sadly, "That night I caused the car crash..."

"You mean when you were out-of-control on the full moon."

"There's a part I didn't tell you about." He confessed, not looking at them, "Right before we got in the car, my mother... My adoptive mother, I guess... We got into a huge fight." And Micah struggled to find the words, "I don't even remember what it was about, but... I remember what I said."

"Micah, you don't have to-"

"I said, "I wish you were all dead."" He told them, finally turning around with tears in his eyes.

"Killing doesn't run in a family." Stiles assured him.

"Maybe it does in mine." He taped the Dead Pool list to Stiles murder board and left.

"What now?" Isaac asked Stiles once Micah was gone.

Stiles shook her head, "I have no idea, but could you stay here in case he comes back?" She asked him.

"Yeah, going to tell Derek that you ran into Kate?"

"Unfortunately."

"That should be a lovely conversation." Isaac stated knowingly, "Just how did you distract him?"

"I have my ways."

* * *

><p>Kira, Allison, and Scott were back at the McCall residence, "My mom's being taken to a hospital in Palo Alto." Kira updated them, "They actually put her in a helicopter."<p>

"But she's going to be okay?" Allison asked showing some concern.

"Yeah. She just doesn't heal like she used to." Kira explained to them, "I need to be there with her. Especially if she's still on the list."

"Totally understandable," Scott told her, "I actually have to go back to the hospital too. They want to do a bunch of tests since I was kind of officially dead."

"I guess Liam's dad has a lot of questions."

"Nothing we can't handle." Allison assured her,

"I just wish it had all worked." Kira told them with disappointment in her voice, "It was a good plan."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that too." Scott shared with them, "And actually, I think maybe it did work. Not that I know exactly who The Benefactor is but we might know a lot more about him now."

"But no one came." Allison pointed to him, "And no one got visual confirmation, right?"

"That's why it might have worked." Scott theorized, "Think about it. Who has the power to know when someone's dead, but doesn't need to see the body to know it happened?"

"Messengers of the Dead." Kira realized.

"A Banshee," Allison supplied, "Or a Reaper."

* * *

><p>At the lake house, Natalie showed Landon a scrap of paper, "This was the last thing your grandmother wrote down before she died." Landon looked over the paper curiously as his mother continued talking, "Don't even know why I kept it because it's basically nonsense."<p>

"Are you _absolutely_ sure Grandma's dead?" Landon asked.

"Yes." Ms. Martin said, but a split second she seemed unsure herself, "I mean, she has to be."

"This isn't nonsense, Mom." Landon told her knowingly, "It's code." The scrap of paper included what looked to be like the Benefactor's code.

* * *

><p>When Stiles arrived to the loft she was shocked at the scene she saw before her, "Holy Hell," Stiles said as she looked at all the guns that made been laid out of the metal table, "It's like - the fricken Walmart of guns."<p>

She reached out to pick one up, when Derek's hand appeared and smacked it away, "Okay, rude, you smacked my hand away." When she looked up, Derek was staring right at her with a serious face, "Uh-oh." She found herself saying, "You know."

"Yeah," Derek said slowly making his way around the metal table, "Yeah, I do."

"How is that-" She began to question, until her mind went back to her conversation with, "Braeden."

"I _hired_ her remember." Derek said in an obvious tone, "You however did not."

"It would've been Allison, but we need her." She reasoned quickly, "Wait why you're not mad or nuts right now?" She asked alarmed, "Are you okay?"

"Well, I'm not okay with you having a face off Kate-" Derek said making his way around the table.

"Now I know Isaac told you," Stiles said accusingly, "That was a totally surprise I swear."

"Isaac didn't say anything actually," Derek told her with a look, "If I focus hard enough I can get bits and pieces of what you're thinking."

"Well that must be a good sign, right?"

"Don't change the subject," Derek huffed, "You sent Braeden here to distract me from what was really going on." He continued leaning into Stiles' space trapping her by the table.

"You're just mad because she kicked your butt a lot in arm wrestling." Stiles relished with a smile, "I know, she told me."

"And you didn't tell me include in that terrible plan you guys came up with." He said leaning his body against hers.

"Everyone says that about our plans." Stiles told him, not breaking the eye contact, "You in particular."

"Most don't involve in fake deaths."

"At least it wasn't to a sacrificial tree." Stiles offered, only for Derek to give a deadpanned stare, "Okay fine. No more plans involving people faking deaths or having accidental run-ins with psychopaths exs. Scout's honor."

"Also know you were never really a scout, either."

"I was for like a day."

"You bit the troop leader."

"Not the point right now," Stiles deflected moving away, "I'll keep my word if you avoid getting shot in the near future."

"Fine."

"Great." Stiles told him as she picked up one of the guns of the table.

"What do you think you're doing?" Derek asked as she pointed the gun straight at him. "Put that down."

"Don't worry," Stiles told him as she locked the safety in place, "I'm a horrible shot."

"Good cause I would hate to get shot again."

"You're funny," Stiles shot at him with a serious glare, "Now try to get the gun away from me."

"Should be easy enough."

"And no childish moves."

"I can say the same for you."

"Stop stalling and come at me." Stiles challenged him with a smirk.

Without needing anymore encouragement, Derek glided his way towards Stiles. Stiles was ready as she watched him carefully as he reached out to take a hold of her hand that had the gun. However she was ready and managed to side-stepped out of the way. It happened multiple times.

"You can do better than this." Stiles encouraged him, "You did it before. You can do it again."

Derek gave her a firm head nod as he stepped his way over again. Only this time, instead of reaching for the gun like he normally had been doing, Derek simply leaned as if he were going in for a kiss, with Stiles completely distracted by the action, he pushed the barrel of the gun into her stomach.

Stiles gave him a pleased look, "You suck." Stiles whispered to him fondly with a grin forming on her face.

"I'm learning how to bend." Derek whispered, taking the gun out of her hand and setting it on the table.

"Wonder where have I heard that before."

Derek gave her a small smile as he leaned in brushing their lips together. In reaction, Stiles automatically wrapped her hands on the back of his neck, meshing their bodies together, as she jumped easily into his arms with Derek catching her easily.

Without even breaking their kiss, Derek carried her over to the table, knocking the other weapons to the side as she removed his shirt. She peeled a piece of the bandage off and placed her hand right over the wound, Derek could feel his skin starting to mend together.

"What are you doing?" Derek asked pulling away, but Stiles tighten the grip she had around his neck.

"Let me just do this." Stiles pleaded to him looking him dead in the eyes, while pressing their foreheads together, "Let me do _something_ about what Kate has done."

Derek moved her hand away and entwined their hands together, "No." and before Stiles could protest he sealed her mouth with his once again as he caused their bodies to rock together, catching Stiles off guard a second time.

She wrapped her legs around his waist again as Derek gripped her around the waist. He lifted her and carried her to the bed, leaving him to tower over as he too removed her shirt and started kissing down her stomach to her sides over the three scars on her body.

"I think get it." Stiles commented. Derek doesn't comment on the statement as he made his way back up and the two looked at each other as if they were trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Stiles cupped her hand on his cheek and ran a thumb on his cheek, "And we'll get through this. Just like we always do. This time together."

"Together." Derek agreed as he placed his lips on her once more, making their bodies move in sync.

Sometime during the night, Derek woke up to the sound of someone snoring. It took a second for him to realize that it was Stiles who had her face burrowed in his neck as she had wrapped her arm around him. He carefully moved her arm off him so he could turn over and watched her sleep, "I can feel you staring. I'm going to need you to stop, it's really creepy." Stiles drawled with her eyes closed.

"I don't like guns."

"I know you don't," Stiles finally opened one eye, "And I'm sorry for doing what I did."

"Then why did you do that?" Derek questioned sitting up from the bed.

Stiles opened both her eyes this time, lifting her head up resting it under her arm, "Because I can see you doubting yourself that's why. I wanted you to know that even without your wolf powers you can still find some way to defend yourself. Even if you don't believe it just yet."

Derek brushed her face gently, "Go back to sleep."

"You may not have your power, but you still have that bossy attitude." She told him, falling back asleep.

Derek waited till Stiles was still asleep, before making his way to the table. He straightened out some of the weapons and simply stared at them.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"Stiles, are you going through my stuff?" The Sheriff asked with a mix of surprise and anger.

"Yeah, I go through _all_ of your stuff." She admitted to him, "Especially when you keep things from me."

"I keep things from you because you don't need to know everything." The Sheriff remarked angrily.

"Yes, I do." Stiles countered, sitting up from her bed, "I _have_ to know everything." She admitted, "How the hell else am I supposed to take care of you?" She indicated with a wave of her arm, "I'd heal myself right now so we can avoid all this, but I've got a freakin' bullet lodged in my shoulder."

XXXX

"She predicted her own death." Landon said realizing the same thing, "She knew I'd figure it out."

"Once you were able to predict your own." Brunski said to them from beside the door just as he closed it shut. Both Stiles and Landon looked at him in fear, "But they weren't murders." Brunski said defensively, "I'm not some serial killer like Ted Bundy going around cutting up college girls."

"No, you're just an Angel of Death." Stiles snapped at him.

"I don't think you understand my level of commitment to my work here, Stiles." Brunski said with some offense, "There are people here who don't simply need treatment. They need _release_. I helped them. I helped Lorraine."

Landon realized what he meant, "You killed her." He whispered.

"I helped her." Brunski corrected him, "And now you can help me. Because there is something about it that's always bothered me."

He held up a cassette with "Lorraine Martin" written in felt tip pen.


	17. Perishable(1)

Another night had just settled in when Deputy Parrish woke up and found himself in a predicament. Predicament may have been the wrong word since he found himself tied to the steering wheel of a sheriff's cruiser with plastic handcuffs. He notice that someone was standing out the vehicle, "Hey! Hey, what are you doing?" He questioned the figure that was now moving around. He struggled against the handcuffs, but it was useless, "Listen... Listen to me! I'm a Deputy with the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department..."

It wasn't until the figure stepped into the streetlight did he see who is was, "Damn." Haigh said with some disappointment, "I was hoping you'd be out longer."

"Haigh?" Jordan questioned, "What the hell?" His eye fell onto the container Haigh had labeled gasoline, "What are you doing?"

"You're a good guy, Parrish." The deputy told him, "But the list says you're worth five million dollars."

"What?" Jordan questioned, "I don't know what you're talking about." It only took him a second to realize that Haigh was about to kill him for the Benefactor, "Haigh, listen... I mean, I barely make $40,000 a year."

"I only make 36." Haigh said angrily and with that he continued pouring gasoline around the car just as Jordan was screaming at him

"Haigh, please!" He begged, "Just stop! You don't have to do this." He said desperately, "Look, if you're having money problems..."

"You're worth five million _dead_, Parrish." Haigh repeated, "Sounds like _you_ got the problem."

"Please... Please, don't do this." Jordan tried once more as Haigh stood beside the open window, "You're just gonna stand there?" He questioned, "You're just gonna listen to a fellow Deputy burn to death?"

However, Haigh doesn't listen to a single word his partner said and plugged in his ear phones, "Haigh, wait... No, wait! Wait!"

Parrish begged just Haigh before lit his zippo lighter and tossed it into the open window of the car. Parrish screamed as the entire vehicle was consumed by fire as Haigh watched the scene.

* * *

><p>Stiles and Landon were at the Sheriff's Station giving Stilinski the latest information that Landon found out, "It's not just that she could still be alive." Stiles theorized to her father.<p>

"It's that she would've had to fake her death." Landon explained.

"Your grandmother, Lorraine Martin, faked her death?" Sheriff Stilinski asked confused.

"Definitely." Stiles stated without hesitation since it was the only thing that would actually make sense.

"Maybe." Landon said sensing that something about everything that he had found still wasn't making some sense.

"But it's more than likely."

"Oh," The Sheriff questioned with some disbelief, "I'm guessing you got a story to back this up?"

"She _might_ be helping The Benefactor." Stiles told him.

"Or_ is_ The Benefactor." Landon admitted to them. He hated to say it out aloud, but he was really hoping that his supposedly dead grandmother was not responsible for all the deaths.

"That sounds like a story worth hearing." Sheriff Stilinski told them.

Outside the sheriff's office, Haigh reported to the Benefactor via computer and requested his money wire transfer for Parrish's death just as Sheriff Stilinski stepped out of his office, "Anybody seen Parrish?" He asked, but no one around had so he went to Haigh, "Haigh?"

"Haven't seen him." Haigh said to him casually. Sheriff made a disgruntle face and was about to head back inside his office when the person he was looking for appeared.

Jordan Parrish was not dead. He was the exact opposite to be exact, covered in soot (not to mention highly pissed), and dressed in the barest remains of his burned clothing, Parrish walked straight into the Sheriff's Station, which caught Haigh's attention, "Holy..." He commented.

Jordan zeroed in on him and made his way straight for Haigh who drew his service weapon, "You're dead." Haigh commented in a panic. Haigh doesn't get to make a shot as Parrish grabbed him by the arm and slammed him against the wall.

"Hey. Hey!" The Sheriff said to his deputies, noticing them fighting. But Parrish wasn't listening at all to the Sheriff's orders to stop. Instead, Parrish threw Haigh to the ground and began punching him in the face continuously.

Stiles and Landon rushed outside the office to see what was going on just as the gun Haigh had when off and stroke Stiles in the shoulder.

"But you're dead!" Haigh cried out just before Parrish gave him another punch to the face, knocking him unconscious.

The Sheriff rushed to Stiles' aide, while Landon observed the scene before them along with a confused Parrish, who was looking at Stiles holding onto her bleeding shoulder.

On the computer screen behind Jordan a message "KILL NOT CONFIRMED" appeared.

* * *

><p>Stiles was watching the Sheriff fill out forms in the hospital, "All right, ummm...Sob-" The doctor said already butchering the first part of the name.<p>

"Stiles." The Sheriff cuts him off quickly in a tired tone, "Just call her Stiles."

The doctor gave them a nod and looked over the paperwork, "I've got you scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning." The doctor informed her, "Unfortunately, it's going to take a little digging to get that slug out of your shoulder."

"That sounds quite enjoyable."

"Kid, if that what it takes it's happening." The Sheriff told her as he continued signing, "One more. What's this part here? This line?" He asked pointing at one of the lines on the forms.

"Patient Responsibility." The doctor explained to him, "Parts of the procedure and hospital stay not covered by insurance."

"Are those big parts?" Stiles questioned worried from her bed, "Expensive parts?"

"That's between you and your insurance unfortunately." The doctor informed them with a sullen tone, "You should start feeling the morphine in a minute or two. Try to get some rest, Stiles." He advised just as he left.

Stiles started to chew on her thumbnail, "Hey, stop that." Her father ordered, "I was just curious about the terminology." He assured her, "We're not in any kind of dire straits."

Stiles dropped her thumbnail tiredly, "I know about the bills, Dad." Stiles confessed before her father could go any farther into lying, "I know about the collectors calling about Eichen House." She continued to spill, "I know about the advance from the department, about the credit cards."

"Stiles, are you going through my stuff?" The Sheriff asked with a mix of surprise and anger.

"Yeah, I go through _all_ of your stuff." She admitted to him, "Especially when you keep things from me."

"I keep things from you because you don't need to know everything." The Sheriff remarked angrily.

"Yes, I do." Stiles countered, sitting up from her bed, "I _have_ to know everything." She admitted, "How the hell else am I supposed to take care of you?" She indicated with a wave of her good arm, "I'd heal myself right now so we can avoid all this, but I've got a freakin' bullet lodged in my shoulder."

"You're not supposed to take care of me!" He snapped, "I'm the dad. You're the daughter. You get it?" He pointed to himself, "Dad." Then he pointed at her, "Daughter. I take care of you."

Stiles laid back down, "We're supposed to take care of each other."

The Sheriff noticed the look of worry on her face, "Hey, we're going to be all right."

"How do you know, Dad?"

"I don't." The Sheriff admitted, "But we'll figure out something. You just rest and let me handle it." The Sheriff kissed her on top of her forehead, "I've got to get back to the station and deal with Haigh."

"I'll take care of her." Derek told the Sheriff as he made his way to the door. Sheriff Stilinski stopped and gave Derek a quiet shoulder squeeze and a weak smile and left.

Derek made his way over to the hospital bed as Stiles placed a finger right back into her mouth, only for him to remove it, "Funny how a week ago I told you not to get shot and yet here I am in the hospital because I did. Talk about Karma."

"Why didn't you saying anything?"

"What?"

Derek repeated, "Why didn't you say anything?" as he took a seat next to the bedside. Stiles made a heavy sigh.

"Because...you have other problems to worry about." Stiles told him, "With whatever the hell Kate did to you and her still being out there..." She trailed quietly, "Not to mention, I'm still working on who or what wants every creature of the night I know dead, including you by the way. That's enough for you to worry about. The Stilinski money problem isn't going to be one of them."

"I thought we were in this together?"

"We are."

"Doesn't feel like it," Derek retorted, "Didn't you say what we have is a two-way street."

"Don't use my words against me," Stiles reacted tiredly, "You were being an ass and wouldn't let me help you."

"So it's okay for me to take your help when I don't want it," Derek questioned, "But when I want to do it all bets are off?"

"Yes."

"No, I'm taking care of this." Derek argued in a strong tone.

"You're out less than 117 million dollars," Stiles reminded him, "You _definitely_ cannot be helping anyone right now."

"Peter's the one who got robbed, not me."

Stiles gave a slow head roll and looked tiredly at Derek, "Are you saying there's another vault?"

Derek smirked, "No."

"Then how-"

"I'll tell you later." He assured her, " Just know I'm taking care of it."

"No, you are not."

"Yes, I am," Derek told her in strong tone, "The last time I let you handle your own problem you..." He trailed off.

"Highly doubt I'll get possessed by another one." Stiles told him, voice dropping slowly.

"That's not my point." Derek told her in a strained tone that causes Stiles to become more alert, "I lost you once," He stated in a low tone, gripping her hand, "I'm not going to lose you again."

A silence fell over them as Stiles leaned back into her bed and closed her eyes, "The only reason...I'm not fighting you on this," Stiles whispered in a hazy like tone,"Is because the morphine's kicked in." With that being her last comeback she drifted off to sleep.

"Good." Derek muttered just as Isaac entered the room.

"What are we going to do now?" Isaac whispered to him.

"We're going to figure out what that deputy is."

* * *

><p>Landon and the others were already at the loft with Parrish trying to gain some sense of what happened, but none of them could come up with anything.<p>

"He covered you in gasoline?" Derek questioned him looking a bit unsure after Parrish told him his story.

"It's the hair and nails, isn't it?" Landon questioned him, "The parts of the body that are essentially dead."

"Well, they should be gone." Derek commented as he continued looking Parrish's hands that seemed to have remain unharmed.

"I was set on fire." Jordan commented still in shock over what happened, "All of me should be gone."

"Not if you're like us." Scott told him.

"Like you?" He asked now confused and looked at the group before him.

"I don't think he's like us." Derek commented in an obvious tone.

"Then what is he?" Allison asked him.

"Sorry, but I have no idea."

"Aren't you supposed to know these kind of things?" Scott questioned him, "I mean you knew about Kira."

"This is a little out of my experience." Derek admitted to them, "There might be something in the bestiary." He suggested, before switching over to Allison, "Did you try your Dad?"

"I don't know where he is." Allison admitted to them, "Ever since we ran into Kate, he has been going off on his own."

"He's more than likely onto something." Scott offered.

"Remember how well that turned out?" Landon reminded them.

"Okay, hold on." Jordan said interrupting everyone's questioning for the whereabouts of Chris Argent, "What's a bestiary? Actually, that's not even my first question." He admitted to them, "Just... Just tell me one thing. Are all of you like Landon?" He asked the group, "Are you all psychic?"

"Psychic?" Derek asked slightly amused and gave Landon an eyebrow raise.

"Yeah." Scott said with a slight tick, "Not exactly."

"Okay." Jordan said calmly, "Then what are you?"

Scott gave him the answer by showing him his Alpha Red eyes. He looked at Derek, Landon, and Allison for some kind of a sign. Derek had remained stone faced with his arms crossed, Landon just gave him a small shoulder shrug, and Allison simply stated, "Don't look at me, I'm just a markswoman."

For the next couple of hours, Derek, Landon, Allison, and Scott had been trying to explain the supernatural to Deputy Parrish, but it wasn't going exactly as planned.

"What's a Kanima?" Jordan asked once again.

"We'll get back to that." Scott told him, "Just know that everyone like us, everyone with some kind of supernatural _ability_ is on the dead pool. Well, except for Peter, Stiles, and Isaac."

"And you're assuming it's because of the mate thing?" Jordan guessed toward Derek, who gave him a nod for guessing correctly, "And Peter and Isaac's reasons are still unknown." He concluded, "But..but I don't even know what I am."

"I'm pretty sure they don't care." Derek told him.

Jordan just took that as a given since he was burnt alive not so long ago and decided to move on, "How many professional assassins are we talking about?"

"We're starting to lose count." Allison informed him.

"But is it still just professionals?" Scott questioned.

"I don't think Haigh's ever tried anything like this." Jordan admitted to them, "I think he was taking a chance."

"That means anyone with the dead pool could take a chance." Landon realized.

"But if Haigh had it, then who else does?" Jordan wondered, "How easy is it to get this thing now?"

* * *

><p>At his house, Liam was trying to sleep, but he awoken by the sound of his printer which began to spit out page after page of the dead pool list.<p>

The version of the "ERICA" list had some names crossed off and one name conspicuously absent and replaced with another.

**SEAN WALCOTT 250**

**DAVID WALCOTT 250**

**MICHAEL WALCOTT 250**

**CHRISTINA WALCOTT 250**

LANDON MARTIN 20

SCOTT MCCALL 25

**DEMARCO MONTANA 250**

ISSAC LAHEY 15

**CARRIE HUDSON 250**

On the list where Derek Hale's name used to be between DeMarco and Carrie, Isaac's name had replaced it. Derek's name had been completely erased.

The "BOYD" list now had a few names crossed off as well.

KATE ARGENT 12

NOSHIKO YUKIMURA 5

JOANNE MCLAUGHLIN 1

**STEVE GRACE 1**

TOM HILL 1

BRETT TALBOT 1

**REED SCHULL 250**

**RICHARD BENEFIELD 250**

Liam tried to stop the printer, but the machine continued. He decided to finally unplug it and the pages stop.

* * *

><p>"Meredith was only at my grandmother's Lake House once." Landon shared with them, "But I think once was enough."<p>

"How did your grandmother know her?" Derek wondered.

"She didn't. She found her." He explained to them, "Because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved."

"I never met her, but I saw her name everywhere." He said as his mind flashed into the past, "She used to be part of a yacht racing team. There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas she'd won."

"How did she die?" Jordan asked.

"How's not the story." Landon told him, "It's what happened right before." He shared, "My grandmother, Lorraine, used to work in San Francisco for IBM. She was there on a weekend, catching up on work. She started hearing this sound... Like rain."

_Years ago Lorraine Martin can hear the sound of rain from the outside of her workstation._

"But when she looked out the windows..." Landon continued.

_When Lorraine turns toward the window there is nothing out of the ordinary. It was a nice sunny blue sky._

"All she saw was blue sky." Landon told them.

"But she kept hearing the rain?" Scott questioned.

"And it just kept getting louder." Landon confirmed, "Rain and thunder cracking like gunshots in her head. So loud. She finally just screamed."

"Like a Banshee." Allison commented.

"She called Maddy who was planning on taking one of the boats out on the lake." Landon continued with the story, "But Maddy said that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn't say anything."

"There was an accident?" Jordan questioned. Landon nodded his head.

_Maddy is caught by the sudden storm. Her boat tips over and she drowns._

"It took them four days to find Maddy's body." Landon concluded, "And then it took decades to figure out how Lorraine knew." He said to them.

_Lorraine spent several decades trying to figure out how she knew Maddy was going to die before it happened. She brought in Parapsychologists who designed the study in the lake house based on the very latest (at the time) according to every pseudo-scientific theory they could find. They brought in the red record player and speakers._

"She started with parapsychologists, like the PhD in their name made it more scientific. They built the study in the lake house according to every pseudoscientific theory they could find. None of it worked."

_Lorraine pushes piles of paperwork off her office desk in frustration._

"So then she started going to more _extreme_ occult. Things like mediums and psychics. All of them were failures. Until she found Meredith." He showed Scott, Derek, and Jordan the old photo that was found in Meredith's box.

"They found her in Eichen House." Landon explained to them, "This fragile girl who didn't understand the things she heard. They brought her to the study. And they almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year. She... never really recovered." He said.

_A group of four paranormal experts brought a young Meredith to the lake house, placed headphones on her and then turned on the red record player. Meredith has a seizure and began bleeding from the ears._

"My grandmother drove her _insane_ I drove her to _suicide_." Landon finished sadly, "And all she ever wanted to do was help. My grandmother created the code for the dead pool. They think she's the Banshee who put the names out in the first place. She left me this message in the same code."

Landon held up the piece of the code his mother had given him, "But she didn't leave a cipher key, did she?" Scott asked. Landon just shook his head.

* * *

><p>Deputy Parrish returned to his department SUV and stared at his unblemished hands.<p>

At the hospital, Isaac stepped outside the hall, when his phone started to buzz, "Anything?"

"No idea," Derek informed him tiredly, "How is she?"

"She's asleep right now, she woke up earlier having a nightmare, but I managed to calm her down." Isaac shared with him, looking through the glass, "The doctor came in checked on her. Other than the nightmare, she's good. What about you? Not being you know...you."

"It's a works in progress." Derek told him.

* * *

><p>While Derek was on the phone with Isaac, Scott and Allison had both noticed the handgun that laid on top of Derek's bed. Scott reached out to touch it, "Careful with that." Derek told them clearly not on the phone anymore.<p>

"How is she?" Scott asked.

"She had another nightmare, but Isaac managed to handle it. She's resting, like she's supposed to even if she is highly medicated."

"I thought you didn't like guns." Allison stated with some worry.

"Does this have something to do with your eyes?" Scott asked remembering the night at the school when Derek had returned to his normal self.

"My eyes, my strength, the healing... All of it." Derek confessed to them, "Even the bond."

"Gone?" Scott questioned in awe.

"Whatever Kate did to me," Derek told them, "It's still happening."

"It's not just effecting you. It's effecting Stiles." Scott commented as he remembered the conversation he had with Stiles at the lake house and her reaction at the school.

"What's wrong with Stiles?" Allison questioned them.

"She sometimes sends me flying across the room." Derek told them, "That's about it, but since we don't know all of what she can fully do that may not be a good thing."

"She may actually hurt someone or worse."Allison realized. Allison couldn't help, but feel bad that her aunt was once again the reason why Derek was in a rough patch. Whatever, she did to him wasn't making Derek the Derek she came to know and now Stiles was in a position she prayed never happened again, "If the dead pool really was made by a Banshee then there's something else that you should know about." Allison told him, "Your name broke the third list. It was a cipher key."

"And the two other keys were Erica and Boyd." Scott shared as well.

"And I... I don't want to make you nervous," Allison told him, "But it kind of feels like there might be a pattern there, doesn't it? Erica, Boyd... You."

"Members of my old pack and names picked by a Banshee." Derek stated plainly.

"It... It could mean that you're in danger." Allison theorized to him.

"Allison, Banshees don't predict danger." Derek told her, "They predict death." He said calmly, "Which I assume is another thing Stiles was worrying about, but didn't tell me."

"Actually…" Allison trailed off throwing Scott a look.

"What?" Derek questioned the couple when they exchanged unsure glances at each other.

"Stiles doesn't know that your name is the one used to break the final half," Scott confessed to him, "We didn't know how she would react, so we gave her an altered list."

There was a beat of silence between them, "Not the worst idea you came up with." Derek finally said eyeing between the two teens, "Whose name did you give her?"

* * *

><p>Liam was feeling paranoid. Paranoid as in when he walked into school it seemed as if everyone was talking about him and laughing. But that wasn't what bothered him the most. He kept seeing flashes of what appeared to be a Berserker in the hallway and it forced him to remember the fight on the Beacon Hills Hospital roof.<p>

"Liam!" Mason's voice rang into his ear snapping him out of the memory, "Hey. Am I gonna see you at the bonfire tonight?"

"I'm thinking about skipping it." Liam confessed to his friend as he looked down the hall only to see that the so-called Berserker was gone.

"You're not skipping." Mason said fully confident.

"Why not?"

"Because you're on the lacrosse team." Mason pointed out, "Don't you have to go?"

"I don't," Then Liam caught another flash of what appeared to be a berserker, "Uh... I... I don't think I can make it."

"You're coming." Mason said with a shoulder bump, "And we're gonna find you a nice girl that you can embarrass yourself in front of and find me a lacrosse player." Mason said playfully, "Because statistically speaking, someone on your team has gotta be on my team. All right?" But Liam doesn't answer because he was still staring at the berserker that was still standing in the hall, "Liam?" Mason asked worriedly.

"Okay." Liam said hurriedly, "I'll be there." And completely ran off.

* * *

><p>There was a beeping of Stiles' printer indicating that she was out of paper. She had finally been released from the hospital after two days, with her arm in a slang and was now with Landon agonizing over the keyword they needed to decipher the message Lorraine Martin left for him, "Try Maddy." Stiles suggested lifting her head from the desk, "It's got to be Maddy."<p>

"Doesn't Maddy feel a little _obvious_ as a cipher key?" Landon questioned.

"I guarantee it's Maddy." Stiles told him.

Landon does type in MADDY as the keyword, but the computer and the printer made a beeping sound and gave them the ERROR message.

Stiles made a tsk sound and began racking her brain, "Okay, your name." Stiles offered, "She left the code for you, right? So it's got to be your name."

Without question, Landon typed in LANDON, but they end up with the same two beeps from before.

"Your mom's name?"

Another beep from both machines and an error message, "Do you have any beloved family pets?" Stiles asked as a last ditch effort.

Landon just gave her a look, "Stiles, my dog is not the key to every supernatural thing there is."

"It was worth a shot."

* * *

><p>In the locker room Coach was talking to his players, "All right... Now I know the start of season bonfire, it's a big deal for you guys. I also know it gets out-of-hand sometimes." He informed them, "The alumni show up, there's other teams, and alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol."<p>

The team cheered except for Liam who still looking stressed and Scott who seemed to be preoccupied.

"All right." Coach said trying to calm his team down, but they continued on cheering, "Shut up!" He snapped at them, which worked, "Now, what I don't understand is why anybody would ever want to get stumbling down drunk in front of a massive open fire, I'm also resigned to not being able to stop you guys."

This provoked another cheer from the team. Scott also noticed Liam's state of mind.

"I also remind you, your team captain, McCall, will be there." He said to them, "And I can count on him to narc on any and every one of these little bastards." Liam took off, "Get back to class."

Just as Scott was ready to head from Liam, he looked up to see that Liam was gone.

* * *

><p>Stiles sighed in desperation as they continued to get nowhere with breaking the coded message, "The ashes were left for you." Stiles voiced as she paced back and forth, "The code was left for you." Landon nodded with agreement as Stiles sat next to him, "You're supposed to be able to figure this out."<p>

"But no one else is." Landon inputted, "Which is why she made it hard."

The printer also had continued beeping and it finally got on Stiles' nerve, "That's it!" Stiles jumped up and feed a stack of blank paper into the machine. The printer made a whirring sound and Stiles made a small sigh, but then something started to click, "You... "No one else."" She mumbled to herself, "No one else but you." She repeated staring at Landon.

"What?" Landon asked noticing the look he was getting.

"Our guesses. They're all about Lorraine. Right?" Stiles said as she was starting to place the pieces together, "We keep trying to guess a word that has something to do with _her_. So, maybe we should be trying to guess one that's about _you_."

"Me?" Landon asked not sure at what Stiles was getting at, "What about me?"

"What do you remember doing with your grandmother?" She asked hurriedly, "You know, what was you guys', like, special thing? Did you guys go to the beach? You know, did you like ice cream or..."

"We read." Landon told her.

"Okay." Stiles accepted easily, "What did you read?"

"Beauty and the Beast."

"You read that movie?" Stiles asked confused.

"It was a book first." Landon told her, "Michael Hague."

"Type it in. "Michael." Stiles suggested, but that doesn't work and they get another ERROR message.

"We read it every night." Landon lamented, "I got so obsessed with it, for three months I wouldn't respond to anything but Adam. Because he was the only Disney prince with red-hair." He smiled, "It drove my parents crazy, but... Grandma thought it was adorable."

Landon quickly typed in ADAM as the keyword and the computer made another beeping sound. Only this time a list of names appeared.

TAMRA JOHANSEN

ALICE DUFFY

PAULA BRASCH

TREY LOCKHART

JOSH MORRIS

* * *

><p>Scott was on the search for Liam, but he didn't have to go far since he was sitting on the stairs at the end of the hall, "Hey." Scott said softly, seeing that Liam was kind of dazed out, "You okay?" But he doesn't get answer gave placed a hand on Liam's shoulder which seemed to snap him back to reality, "Hey."<p>

"Last night my printer went off by itself." Liam told him, "I couldn't turn it off. I hit the cancel button. But it just kept printing."

"Printing what?" Liam handed over the dead pool to Scott just as another voice filled the air.

"What the hell's this?" Coach shouted. They rushed to his office and found page after page of the dead pool coming from Coach's printer and spreading out across the floor.

* * *

><p>Back at Stiles'room, the remaining names were shown.<p>

ELISA CHIN

PETER MCELROY

TAYLOR FREEMAN

TERRANCE SHUMAN

LORRAINE MARTIN

"You recognize any of these?" Stiles asked showing Landon the rest of the list.

"Just my grandmother." Landon told her.

However, Stiles printer was also going off and printing of the updated deadpool, "Landon..." Stiles said when she realized what was happening, "We need to call Scott."

* * *

><p>At school, Scott retrieved one of the pages from the floor of Coach's office, "You see the difference?" Liam asked him.<p>

"Derek's not on the list anymore, but Isaac is now." Scott said wondering what exactly did that mean.

"And I'm not worth three million." Liam pointed out, "It's 18 now. $18 million."

The other change was that Meredith Walkers name, just below Liam's, was also crossed off the list.

* * *

><p>Stiles and Landon were already at the Sheriff's Station having Deputy Parrish run new names of the list, "Well, it's not another dead pool." He informed and both Landon and Stiles had a sense of relief, "More like an already dead pool."<p>

"All of them?" Landon questioned, "All dead?"

"Within the last 10 years." Deputy Parrish shared with them as he typed some more information into the computer, "All suicides. And all at the same place."

"Eichen House." Stiles read off the screen, she doesn't read any father because she noticed that Parrish staring at her, "What?"

"I'm sorry about your arm." He told her.

Stiles patted him on the shoulder, "Don't worry. Still going to keep you."

* * *

><p>In the Beacon Hills High School courtyard, a "metal cyclone" was rigged with natural gas jets and set on fire with a torch. The flames raced up the cone-shaped sculpture eliciting shouts from the crowd of students. The DJ began to spin and the crowd swayed and jumped to the music.<p>

One of the Security Guards approached the DJ booth. The two lean in close to each other and exchanged words. There were several other, identically dressed, security guards watching the crowd. A number of the students were drinking from red solo cups while others drank straight from flasks and bottles. Scott noticed the lacrosse team was all decked out in their jerseys.

Peering out into the crowd, Scott noticed Micah on slight rise overlooking the action. He was dancing and drinking from a silver flask. "Hey." Scott said getting his attention, "What are you doing here?"

"Getting drunk." He said while still dancing and held up his silver flask, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make sure no one gets hurt." Scott said looking at the chaos around him.

"That sounds fun too." Micah said taking another drink from the flask.

"I don't want to ruin your night or anything, but we kind of can't get drunk." Scott told the werecoyote.

"What?" He questioned as he stopped dancing.

"I think it has something to do with our healing." Scott explained to him, "But, trust me, I've tried." Scott said remembering the night after the school, "You're not gonna feel anything."

"Maybe you should tell him that." Micah said pointing over to Liam, who was sitting on a picnic table with Mason. Liam was pouring booze into a plastic pop bottle and guzzling it down.

* * *

><p>Stiles and Landon were now trying to figure how exactly they were going to get the files from Eichen House, "Landon, Eichen House isn't a library." She informed him, "You need a <em>warrant<em> to get files from there."

"You can't just do whatever you to get us in?"

"There's something about that place...when I used my powers in there it didn't go well," Stiles told him, "And if I did I have no recollection of it."

Landon nodded with some understanding, "My grandmother left me a list of 10 suicides, _including_ her own." Landon said, "I agree with you on not using it there, but is there anyone there who's willing to help us?"

"No." Stiles said confidently, "But there might be someone willing to take a _bribe_." Landon knew exactly who Stiles was talking about.

* * *

><p>Back at the bonfire, "Not gonna tell me to slow down?" Liam questioned Mason who handed him another cup.<p>

"Actually, I was gonna say, "Keep drinking". I think you should get drunk." Mason told him, "And I mean stumbling down, fall on your ass, passed out with your face in a toilet drunk."

"Why?" Liam questioned.

"Maybe then when I ask you what's going on, you'll be too drunk to lie." Mason confessed to him, "I'm not asking this because I want to know. I'm asking because I want to help."

Liam noticed Scott with Micah, "I'm gonna get another drink." He got to stand, but was overcome with a wavy of dizziness, "Yeah... I'm getting drunk."

All the while the music had continued to play.

* * *

><p>"A thousand." Brunski told Stiles and Landon as he sat behind his office desk with Stiles and Landon standing in front of him.<p>

"A thousand dollars?" Stiles questioned outraged, "To use one little key to open up one little file room?" Brunski seemed unimpressed at Stiles' outburst, "Are you out of your mind?"

"When you get the keys, you make the price." He said with his arms crossed.

"Right." Stiles said with some disdain, "You actually think we have that kind of money?"

"I know you don't." He said pointedly, "If you did, Daddy Sheriff would've paid the bill by now." Stiles may or may not have wanted to send the man flying, "That's why I'm talking to him." He looked over at Landon.

"I have $500." Landon told him as he went through his wallet.

He placed the money on Brunski's desk as Brunski turned to his cassette boombox, pressed eject, took out a tape and flipped it over before reinserting it and pressing play. Stiles and Landon realized the cassette (labeled "mixtape") was identical to the ones distributed by The Benefactor.

Brunski picked up the money, sniffed it, grabbed his keys, and said, "Follow me." As he led them to the filing room.

* * *

><p>At the bonfire, Scott was trying to explain everything to Micah, but the boy wasn't having any of it, "I just want to talk." Scott reasoned to him.<p>

"Well, I just want to dance." Micah shot at him as he started back up to dancing.

"We had our reasons." Scott tried, "We didn't tell you about Peter..."

"To protect me." Micah told him, "That's what Peter said you would say." He shared with Scott, "And guess what he said next? That you were right. Does that surprise you?"

"No." Scott admitted, "It makes me wonder what he wants." He said suspiciously, "Micah, we need to stay together. You, me, Isaac, Stiles..."

"I don't want to talk about Isaac or Stiles." He told Scott clearly not over the deception he had gotten from the two, "I just want to dance and get drunk." His words slurred as he walked away.

"Micah..." Scott said worriedly, Micah almost fell down when he does get walk away. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Micah released a drunk laugh, "You are drunk." Scott realized.

"Yep." Micah said cheerfully.

"But you can't be." Scott said confused. He then noticed Liam was stumbling too.

"Is this what drunk feels like?" Micah asked, "It doesn't feel as good as I hoped."

"I don't think it's supposed to." Scott said now concerned.

* * *

><p>Brunski had opened the door to the Records Room and left Stiles and Landon to their own devices, "Landon, you got the list?" Landon handed Stiles the list, but Stiles noticed that another name appeared on the list, "Landon, why did you write another name on here?"<p>

"I didn't write anything." Landon told her.

"This is your handwriting." She said to him as she handed him the list back.

"Why would I write another name?" Landon questioned confused since he doesn't remember writing one.

"Why would you write _mine_?" She questioned him.

Just then Brunski appeared from the doorframe, but this time he had a weapon that Stiles was familiar with, "It was the tapes, wasn't it?" Brunski questioned them. He used his high-powered tazer and attacked Landon first.

Stiles released a scream as Landon went down with a groan as Brunski cracked his neck with a smile. He then turned to Stiles, "Your turn, sweetheart."


	18. Perishable(2)

**Remember next update wouldn't be till April 5th. Thanks for understanding you guys! Byieee!**

Braeden was dressed in a pantsuit and with a badge hanging on a chain around her neck. She walked into an interrogation room at the Sheriff's Station, "And who the hell are you?" Deputy Haigh questioned her. He was chained to a chair and had still marks from when Parrish punched him. He even wore a bandage over his nose.

"Hello, Deputy." Braeden said with fake pleasantry and smile, "I'm a U.S. Marshal working in conjunction with this office, and I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Yeah, well, I got a question." Haigh stated, "How'd you get those scars?"

"A werewolf." She answered honestly, "How'd you break your nose?"

"What's that supposed to..." Before he could finish his question Braeden broke his nose with a single punch.

* * *

><p>The music continued playing at the bonfire and Micah was still feeling woozy, "Micah..." Scott said, "What's in this? What did you have to drink?"<p>

"Just vodka." Micah slurred as Scott held up him and took a sniff of the air.

"Stay on your feet," Scott told him as he started to feel the effects as well, "And keep moving."

* * *

><p>Derek and Parrish were looking through the printouts of all the suicides at Eichen House, Parrish realized that they were all reported by "L. Brunski" just as Braeden came out of the interrogation room, "We have a problem." She told him.<p>

"And we have another one." Parrish told them, "Stiles and Landon are at Eichen House where someone is responsible for 10 supposedly suicides."

"Neither of them are picking up." Derek informed them in a rough tone.

"There's another group of assassins at the school targeting Scott and the others." Braeden told them.

"Okay, you two go to the school and I will go to Eichen House." Parrish told them, but he could see that Derek was about to protest the idea, "They won't let just let you in." Parrish told him, "Especially since you're just a civilian. I'll have a better chance."

Derek clenched his teeth tightly, "Alright."

* * *

><p>Stiles woke up to the loud sound of someone screaming, "Help us! Help us!" She tried to move, but felt a shooting pain in her left arm. It took a second for her to realize that both of her arms had been tied to a column just across from Landon.<p>

"Someone, help!"

"Landon," Stiles called out to him, biting back the pain, "There's a lot of people screaming for help in a place like this. I don't think anyone's listening."

"Well, I'm open to better ideas." Landon whispered at her, "Because if you didn't notice, all of those suicides were murders."

"That's why she left you the message." Stiles whispered.

"She predicted her own death." Landon said realizing the same thing, "She knew I'd figure it out."

"Once you were able to predict your own." Brunski said to them from beside the door just as he closed it shut. Both Stiles and Landon looked at him in fear, "But they weren't murders." Brunski said defensively, "I'm not some serial killer like Ted Bundy going around cutting up college girls."

"No, you're just an Angel of Death." Stiles snapped at him.

"I don't think you understand my level of commitment to my work here, Stiles." Brunski said with some offense, "There are people here who don't simply need treatment. They need _release_. I helped them. I helped Lorraine."

Landon realized what he meant, "You killed her." He whispered.

"I helped her." Brunski corrected him, "And now you can help me. Because there is something about it that's always bothered me."

He held up a cassette with "Lorraine Martin" written in felt tip pen.

* * *

><p>Scott brought Micah a bottle water and turned to Mason, who was holding onto Liam, "How much has he have to drink?"<p>

"Not enough to get him like this." Mason informed him.

Scott began to really feel whatever it was and lost his balance. His vision also began to blur, "Something's happening. We need to get them out of here. I think we're gonna have to, um..." He struggled just before falling again.

"How much did you drink?" Mason asked him now concerned.

"Nothing." Scott said, "Not even a sip." Scott began looking around for an alternate cause. He focused his hearing and could just make out a separate track underneath the music the DJ was playing, "It's not the drinks." Scott realized, "It's the _music_."

* * *

><p>At Eichen House, Brunski pressed play on the cassette deck and Lorraine Martin's voice filled the room.<p>

"What are you..." Lorraine questioned on the tape, "Brunski, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Lorraine." Brunski told her on the tape, "It's going to be all right. You're just going to have a little trouble breathing."

"Landon, look at me." Stiles ordered to the Reaper, who was now frozen from hearing his grandmother's voice, "Don't listen." Stiles pleaded to him and then a low whisper, "Okay, don't listen to it." The sound of Lorraine's heavy breathing filled the room, "Just focus on my voice, Landon." Stiles continued whispering to Landon, "Don't listen to it, block it out. Okay?" But Landon wasn't giving her any kind of response, he was frozen, "Landon?" She questioned worriedly, but still got nothing, "Hey, turn it off!" She shouted to Brunski. If this place didn't meddle with her power she would've definitely sent him flying across the room.

"Stiles I have a way to shut you up for a while." Brunski threatened as he held up a needle with the same sedative he had used on her during her stay at Eichen House, "Accept maybe I'll give you a bit more to keep you out a lot longer."

"Stop!" Landon suddenly shouted as Brunski advanced his way to Stiles.

"Then listen... Just listen." Brunski instructed Landon, grabbing his face roughly, "I need your help with this, Landon."

"Please don't..." Lorraine's voice begged on the tape.

"Here it is." He cued to Landon, "This is the part I never understood." He whispered in Landon's ear, "Listen."

Lorraine had gone back to her heavy breathing, "Please don't hurt him." Lorraine begged again.

"Don't hurt who?" Brunski questioned on the tape.

"Adam." Lorraine said and the sound of her breathing stopped on the tape.

* * *

><p>At the bonfire, Scott was struggling against the music, "I have to... I have to turn off the music." He told Mason, "Don't let them out of your sight." Them meaning Liam and Micah.<p>

As Scott stumbled toward the stage, the DJ turned up whatever sonic weapon he was using, caused Scott to grimace and collapse in place. Security Guards picked him up. They also grab Micah and Liam, "Wait... Stop. Hey, what are you doing?" Mason protested at them just as he was blocked by another, "These are my friends."

"Your friends are overly intoxicated." The Guard told him, "They need to be escorted out."

"Okay, I'll go with them." Mason offered.

"That won't be necessary."

"I said they're my friends..." Mason said once more trying to follow only to get knocked down to the ground.

* * *

><p>Scott, Micah, and Liam were dumped in a pile just inside the school hallway, "What is that?" Scott question one of the guard who were holding a container, "What are you doing?" As something gets poured on him.<p>

"It's gasoline." The Guard told him and Scott realized that he was another assassin, "Haigh says we gotta burn you."

* * *

><p>The tape came to an end and the auto stop function turned it off. Brunski got from the floor and took a metal first aid kit off a nearby shelf, "We get a lot of teenagers trying to break into our drug cabinets." Brunski told them, "Most of the time they don't succeed." Then he looked squarely at Landon and Stiles, "But you two look pretty clever to me."<p>

* * *

><p>At the school, Danny witnessed what happened and was helping Mason off the ground, "What happened?"<p>

"Those guys claim that they're intoxicated." Mason told rubbing his stomach, "Only Liam just two cups and Scott hasn't had anything to drink."

"Scott didn't drink anything?"

"No." Mason told him, "In fact, he said something about the music was making him feel weird."

"The music?" Danny questioned looking around as students and lacrosse players were still partying around.

* * *

><p>Inside the school, Scott attempted to rise, but was kicked back down. The head guard flicked his zippo lighter and smiled like a maniac as Scott's vision blurred again.<p>

Outside, "Make sure no one is coming." Danny told Mason. Mason nodded and turned back to face the crowd.

There had been a tent set up behind the DJ booth. The moment Danny walked in he spotted the gas-powered generator which was providing electricity to the outdoor event. He rushed to it and gave a big yank at the cord pulling it free. As a result, the music and the flashing lights died as the crowd groaned in disappointment.

"It worked?" Mason asked in amazement.

"Yeah it worked." Danny commented clearly pleased.

* * *

><p>From inside the school, Scott could suddenly see clearly. His eyes flashed red as he grabbed the guard's hand and crushed it, closing the lighter and extinguishing the flame.<p>

Braeden picked that moment to show up and bash the guard's head in with the butt of a shotgun. Three more guards started down the hall; As Derek took the first one and shoved him into a locker.

The others attacked and Derek received their punches, but quickly recovered as he returned with an uppercut to the chin of one and a head butt for the other.

The head guard was up on his knees and tried to retrieve his lighter, Braeden kicked him in the head knocking him unconscious.

Seeing all the assassin knocked out Scott looked at Derek in surprise, "What happened to the gun?"

"You're covered in gasoline." Derek reminded him.

"Oh, yeah." Scott said with a nervous laugh.

* * *

><p>Brunski was filling a syringe, "I'll admit, Stiles, I don't have any unusual talents like Landon, but, somehow, I just knew we were gonna get a chance to do this again." He told her as he pressed the needle into her neck.<p>

Stiles struggled against the restraints, but couldn't loosen herself free, "No. No. No." Landon begged as Brunski proceeded to push the medication in Stiles' neck.

"Drop it." A new voice demanded in the room. Brunski turned to see Deputy Parrish armed with his gun leveled right at him, "Take your thumb off that needle and slowly withdraw it from her neck."

"Young Deputy." Brunski mocked, "You're just a kid. I bet you've never even fired a..."

Brunski went silent just as the needle crashed to the floor. Deputy Parrish quickly removed the restraints from Stiles and Landon.

"He... He killed my grandmother." Landon told him, "He was _controlling_ Meredith."

"He used her to create the dead pool." Stiles explained once Parrish got to her restraints.

"And killed her when she tried to help us." Landon explained.

Brunski, who still on the floor, was gasping, but managed to laugh at them, "You..." He said weakly, "You think it was me?" He took a heavy breath and whispered, "That I was controlling her?" He made another rueful laugh, "Idiots... She was controlling me." Brunski told them just before he died.

"Oh, God. It's not him." Landon realized immediately, "He's not The Benefactor."

Meredith appeared from around the corner, "No." She told them calmly as she stepped into the room, "And... He wasn't on my list." She said looking at Brunski's dead body, "But he was a bad person."

Before anyone could really react to the new development, a sudden sound of thump filled the air. Landon turned to see an unconscious Stiles on the floor beside a half empty syringe.

**NEXT ON THE BENEFACTOR**

"You're not going anywhere." Derek told her when he could see the look on Stiles' face.

"Ugh," Stiles groaned, "Let me guess thinking too loud."

"Actually no," Derek said slightly amused, "I just happen to know you so well by now."

XXXXX

"Hands where I can see them." Sheriff Stilinski without lowering his weapon.

"How the hell was I supposed to remember any of that?" Peter asked in his defense.

"She got it from you." Landon pointed out to him.

"I was out of my mind." He reminded them, "Do you know what it's like for one of us to be in a coma? Paralyzed but cognizant?" He questioned them, "You try not going crazy."

"She was listening to you." Deputy Parrish countered.

"She was listening to the ranting and raving of a lunatic." Peter told him and Landon raised an eyebrow at him, "A _former_ lunatic." He corrected himself, "I'm much healthier now. I had nothing to do with this."

"If she was following your lead on this," Sheriff Stilinski said to him, "Then how do we know there isn't more?"

"You were going to use it anyway." Sheriff Stilinski said to him.

"Stop. Stop it." Landon told them, "This is what she wants. It's why she's here. Look around, Sheriff." He indicated in the room, "There's three people in here right now. Three people still on the dead pool. Me, Parrish... And Meredith."

"But not him." Deputy Parrish pointed out.

"Landon's right." Peter told them as he retracted his claws, "We don't want to kill each other."

"The only person I'm pointing a gun at is you." Sheriff Stilinski said in a dead tone.

"Then you better make it a perfect shot, Sheriff," Peter advised him, "Because I don't go down easy."

"I'm willing to bet that a bullet between the eyes doesn't heal real fast..." Sheriff Stilinski countered unmoved, "Not even for your kind."


End file.
